Several local establishments have taken the initiative of preparing meals for the hard-working staff at Mater Dei Hospital over the past few weeks as a token of gratitude and appreciation for their efforts in combating the COVID-19 spread.

Rita Diacono, the legendary matriarch whose family owns successful franchises such as New York Best Bistro, was also part of this initiative: "This week, with the help of our amazing grandmother and her family of cooks, we managed to provide around 245 portions to the wonderful staff at Mater Dei Hospital," a post by her grandson Michael Azzopardi revealed.

The Facebook post also commended the work of local healthcare workers: "A big thank you to all our doctors, nurses and every other healthcare professional that are working tirelessly to keep us safe during these difficult times!" it read.

The post concluded by thanking AMC Malta, Manouche Craft Bakery and Bistro and Fr. Claude Portelli for their kind contributions towards the cause.