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According to the Ministry of Health (SAM), the procedure for admitting returnees from abroad has changed since last Monday, the media reported. According to the latest decisions, it will no longer be mandatory to evaluate all people who come from abroad without exception. They will only be checked if you experience typical symptoms of a coronavirus infection.
Not only that, Lithuania is open to citizens of some European countries, not all of them will be subject to mandatory 14 days isolation. Every Monday, the SAM will publish lists of countries from which entry is allowed and whose nationals must be isolated upon arrival.
There is no rush to cancel the safety and hygiene requirements.
It is true that with the start of the quarantine, transport and tourism companies that have adapted to the new reality are in no hurry to revoke the existing safety and hygiene requirements. For example, the DFDS ferry operator intends to continue to limit the number of passengers on ferries. Passengers still can’t buy a separate cabin seat, just the entire cabin, wear masks, follow the distance, and follow the rules on board. Currently, only one in three seats is sold in the seating cabin, and a maximum of two drivers are accommodated in the cabins.
“Passengers leaving or returning first should find out what restrictions apply to the countries they intend to travel to. Some of them are not yet admitted for the current holidays, others require a 2-week quarantine. From now on Thereafter, 14 days of self-isolation is no longer mandatory for returnees from Germany. The good news is that Lithuanian citizens can already return from Sweden, but when they leave Sweden, self-isolation is still mandatory. Swedes are still not allowed to come to Lithuania, ”says Vaidas Klumbys, Head of Public Relations and Communication at the DFDS for the Baltic States.
Track changes.
He assured that during the quarantine the ferry services were mainly used by those people who returned to Lithuania or left it to work. Typically working in construction, transportation and logistics, wind farms, oil platforms, or agricultural sectors. Interestingly, travelers were used to buying not only waiting rooms, drinks or snacks, but also disinfectants and face masks on ships throughout the quarantine in stores with certain restrictions.
Restrictions on ferries have left practically no leisure travelers, leading to decreased interest in high-end cabins. However, the ferry operator decided to invest in a new menu, in a ferry to upgrade high-class cabins, in another to install a new type of bar with an exclusive range. It is believed that the flow of travelers will gradually increase, and travelers will always want to be satisfied with innovation.
Changes have also been observed in the freight transport market: logistics companies have faced difficulties due to labor shortages, which has led to a decrease in the number of ferry transport companies, which have not they have a very large transport capacity. However, some companies have decided to divert their logistics chains to send trips due to interruptions at the country’s borders. V. Klumbys points out that the medical protection measures were also transported by ferries.
Tickets are no longer available for the next two weeks.
Currently, 12 company ferries fly the Lithuanian flag. 2 of them serve the route between Klaipeda and the German port of Kiel, 3 ferries operate between Klaipeda and the Swedish port of Karlshamn. This mode of travel is not without relevance: all Germany tickets are exchanged for the next two weeks.
“We can only rejoice that none of our routes in the Baltic Sea have been stopped during quarantine. Both the company and the employees accepted the opportunity to continue their activities as the fulfillment of an important mission for Lithuania: transporting compatriots and ensuring transporting important goods. We have adapted to the new reality. Although on-board security has always been a top priority, the security requirements related to COVID-19 required many additional efforts, “admitted V. Klumbys.
DFDS Seaways employs a total of 603 seafarers, approximately half of whom now sail.
“Some of our staff worked at home during quarantine, but we are slowly returning to normal cancer. So far, the biggest drawback is the problem of changing crew. The teams also work in the north and the Mediterranean, and there are no flights, so we have to organize special charter flights. Due to security requirements, teams working in Lithuania do not land ashore, even for a short time, their relatives are unable to visit them and self-isolation is applied after finishing the job, “said V. Klumbys about the challenges he had to face.
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