Veryga appreciated the idea of ​​Seimas voting in spacesuits: there is no possibility of guaranteeing safety.

How should the Seimas work?

Seimas President Viktorija Čmilytė-Nielsen asked Temporary Health Minister Aurelijus Veryga and asked what additional measures could be applied to Seimas before teleworking was approved.

A. Veryga stated that the NVSC cannot provide the Seimas with clear solutions as they are not experts on the Statute of the Seimas.

“What you need to understand is that we cannot provide it, because the NVSC is not an expert or interpreter of the Statute of the Seimas, nor can it provide instructions on how the Seimas should organize its work. (…) If it is no longer possible to take a break during 2 weeks, then we have to bear the risk. Because he will not present any other proposal, unless it is possible to divide the members of the Seimas into separate premises “, A. Veryga presented a possible proposal at the Seimas Board session.

The minister stressed that the answers are not easy, it is difficult to find this type of solution for schools and companies.

“The principle is the same: as little contact as possible, if any, as brief as possible. Use protective measures”, – the Minister appointed the necessary measures.

A. Veryga spoke at the Seimas Board meeting that the Seimas members could be included in the exceptions list if the total lack of contact of the Seimas member with others at work occurred.

“If the Seimas could have such an isolated operation that it does not communicate with anyone, it does not meet anyone, it does not go anywhere other than the store, it could be included in the list, but will we realize this circumstance? ? It is necessary to realize the absence of contact. If it can be done, we can talk about it ”, said A. Veryga.

The president of the Seimas V. Čmilytė – Nielsen accepted the words of A. Veryga as a refusal to present an answer to the Seimas.

Veryga reiterated that it could not provide a working algorithm.

“I would like to reiterate that we cannot compile a working algorithm for Seimas, it is a very specific institution, we do not do it for companies, they prepare their own procedures in accordance with the recommendations I have mentioned. (…) Epidemiologists can help in planning these processes, leaving them behind, but they cannot leave them behind, ”said the Minister.

Rolanda Lingienė, head of the Vilnius department of the National Public Health Center (NVSC), stated that epidemiologists cannot do that.

“The Seimas Chancellery should play a very important role. (…) It is necessary to develop a management plan for the coronavirus infection and it is operational. We cannot do it alone, because it will not work, it is important how many people visit, internally, externally and similar ”, explained R. Lingienė, representative of NVSC.

He claimed that members of the Seimas would also benefit from the infographic: what to do specifically if a member of the Seimas or an employee of the Seimas Chancellery becomes ill.

Suits may not help

The conservative, vice president of the Seimas Paulius Saudargas, asked the minister if perhaps the autonomous parliamentarians could go to the hall to vote in special suits.

“Without contacting others, voting separately, which masks, spacesuits, respirators we should use. Let the specialists write it down, we will follow it, ”said P. Saudargas.

This proposal made the Minister a little ridiculous.

“If it is possible to do things such as voting separately, I do not know, as far as I know, but if it is possible, it is possible to accept and apply such exceptions. Currently, in accordance with the procedures of the Statute of the Seimas. Create such order would mean that the people who have to isolate themselves would gather in the room and infect each other, we are in such a dilemma ”, said Minister A. Veryga.

He said that if such a procedure was introduced, additional training should be provided to the Seimas members.

“You can walk in spacesuits, but then there will be a lot of conditions, then you will have to do training on how to dress and take it off. Infection management issues will be triggered. And we will understand that we do not allow a doctor infected with a spacesuit to go to nowhere because it is clearly stated that there is no way to guarantee safety. Because even with such a measure, it cannot guarantee that it will not infect others, “said A. Veryga.

Special electoral colleges?

Seimas First Vice President Jurgis Razma suggested that politicians in isolation create more remote polling places. This motivated him with the next important decisions, although with the approval of the government program.

A.Veryga said that there really are exits.

“It is possible to mark paths where these people can move.” I tried to say that these are practical solutions, you call them, you don’t need a ministry, an NVSC, “he said.

There was no politics

R. Lingiene, the head of the Vilnius department of the National Public Health Center (NVSC), also had to explain to members of the Seimas about the inaccurate information about compulsory isolation. As a result, according to the head of the Seimas, the remote work of the Seimas could not be legalized, only one vote was missing.

“It just came to our attention then. This situation came about very unexpectedly. (…) There was no policy here,” said R. Lingienė.

She said it was just a mistake.

A new isolation procedure is being prepared for the sick

A. Veryga stated that a procedure is currently being prepared so that people with coronavirus who cannot be isolated for some time due to a risky contact.

“There are countries that are implementing a procedure where it is not necessary to re-isolate after illness. We are also preparing for this, the first objective was to train doctors because it is difficult to work in institutions. But then the same procedure would apply to the public. (…) There will be such an order, we really will not have to isolate ourselves for a while after the disease, it is likely that we will have it next week, ”said A. Veryga.