For COVID-19, mayors are preparing a different response: the toughest battle is just beginning

The government will decide on Wednesday on the mandatory use of protective masks indoors, but according to Prime Minister Ingrida Šimonytė, it will not be necessary to announce a quarantine regime. According to her, the lawyers clarified that such a measure can be introduced even in an emergency.

Some mayors believe that the requirement to wear masks will not fundamentally solve the situation, and in general suggests that already from the fight they should concentrate on other issues.

Neringa’s coronavirus is no longer so terrible

Social Democrat Darius Jasaitis, mayor of Neringa, ambiguously assessed the central government’s efforts to combat the virus.

“We see that we are trying very hard, the numbers show that we are doing very hard,” said D. Jasaitis.

Neringa is so far the only remaining red municipality in western Lithuania. In this municipality, according to data from Tuesday, 100,000. The population has 385 cases of clashes in 14 days.

“You see, Neringa is educated and believes in science, no matter how discouraged Kepenis and others are. We have achieved a 99% immunization, but we have to admit that we make each other sick.

But these are certainly straightforward cases. The temperature is there for the next two days at 38 degrees, but it is safe. After that, the person is fine and satisfied. However, these statistics (regarding vaccines) are undeniable, as far as we speak, ”said D. Jasaitis.

Overall, the mayor said he was in favor of learning now to live with the virus.

“Personally I don’t know if I would be very upset, my support was for the Swedish version. A year ago I said that the figures would stabilize, but it seems that we have beaten the Swedes four times.

But again, probably here our own state of health, medical care is different, but the question is whether we will fight that virus or if we need to start living with it by somehow building capacity in large sections of large cities. (…) It will probably be necessary to build huge buildings with many good beds, which are no longer in deficit ”, commented D. Jasaitis.

According to the mayor, “people should be less nervous and now fewer fights should be announced.”

“Because sometimes it seems that we are not fighting against the virus, but against people,” said D. Jasaitis.

At the same time, the mayor says that he is now more concerned about the situation with other diseases.

“I have had very close encounters with people with other illnesses in the family, which is what scares me the most here. If we apply a prevention such as the fight against which mortality is really low to cancer, we could achieve much better results in another area, and the overall mortality in the country would not be that high. Now we have abandoned everything “, D. Jasaitis got angry.

The mayor of the Panevėžys district is not hiding: I am a bit skeptical about the passport of opportunities

The Panevėžys district municipality currently belongs to the C2 red epidemiological zone: fewer than 200 cases of coronavirus are recorded here for every 100,000 cases. population in 14 days.

Povilas Žagunis, the mayor of the municipality, said he could not assess whether the government’s efforts to curb the virus were sufficient because there was no epidemiologist, but, as he emphasized, no one wanted a large number of infected people.

“I really don’t want there to be thousands, so there are people and deaths in hospitals and resuscitations,” Delfi commented on P. Žagunis.

The mayor also pointed out that, in his opinion, a lot in this situation also depends on the behavior of the people themselves.

“A lot depends on the people: what is the attitude towards this situation. If we do not protect ourselves, all measures, even excessive ones, may not be as effective as we would really hope and hope,” said the mayor of the Panevėžys district.

Speaking of the passport of possibilities, P. Žagunis did not hide his doubts.

“What does my passport of opportunity mean when it was issued to me on September 4 and is it valid until November 4? What does it mean? During that time, I can get infected, get sick, recover, and maybe even get sick again. I have a passport of opportunity, my vaccines are there, but I am a bit skeptical about the passport of opportunity ”, admitted the interviewee.

However, he assured that the companies operating in the area have adapted and are working with a passport to opportunities.

“It just came to our attention then. All the companies that have the desire are doing well. I want to thank you for having such a small epidemic situation today; it is certainly a good understanding for all people and our results in terms of vaccination are not bad, but I can’t say what will happen in a week.

We have examples in which the municipalities had particularly good results, today they are already black, ”said P. Žagunis.

The mayor said that the situation is still handled in the educational institutions of the district.

“There are cases, but the situation is manageable, we do not have closed schools, there are students who isolate themselves, there are classes that take cumulative exams, they investigate. We live in a similar situation to the whole of Lithuania, ”added the mayor of the Panevėžys district.

Raseiniai District Mayor: It helps if someone incites discontent

The conservative mayor of the Raseiniai district, Andrius Bautronis, believes that the central government is managing the pandemic quite well.

“It is difficult to fight especially those who are opposed to everything, not just vaccines, but also quarantine and all other circumstances. If there was no resistance to vaccines, there would be no need for quarantine and the incidence would be even lower. Statistics show that at least eight out of ten in resuscitation rooms are not vaccinated without receiving a single dose of vaccine. I think the facts speak for themselves, “said A. Bautronis.

According to the mayor, the activities of people who actively oppose everything are coordinated.

“Let’s admit that the activities of both the protesters and the anti-waxes are coordinated by someone. (…) That is a fact. Let us ask ourselves who prints the brochures of the Family March. Who prints flags, T-shirts? Who finances those things? “Are the individual organizers here? I don’t think so. It is useful for someone to incite discontent and discord in society,” said A. Bautronis.

The mayor doesn’t think the requirement to wear masks indoors is too strong a measure.

“If the experts say that wearing masks inside protects us, at least one person, from the spread of the disease, then I am in favor. If masks help, then I think for the safety of all of us, wearing masks will not be a problem, protecting the health and lives of others, “said A. Bautronis.

Even the toughest measures, according to the district chief, already come at a price.

“The strictest measures immediately provoke a public reaction. Then, the reaction of both companies and the population, the collection of taxes, budget deficits is called immediately. If we follow the recommendations, I think we would not need more severe sanctions”, said A. Bautronis.

The Raseiniai district municipality is still among the red municipalities this year. Here 100 thousand. population for 18 days in 186 cases.

“The Raseiniai district still has little morbidity today, but let’s face it, we burned at that time last year and we struggled as much as we could until we got better,” said A. Bautronis.

The mayor acknowledged that it is difficult for them to vaccinate people in the area, especially the elderly.

“We maintain the state average, we have more than 60 percent. vaccinated. Perhaps those elderly people would be more actively vaccinated, if not the children, who are discouraged, ”said A. Bautronis.

The mayor of Druskininkai does not believe that the masks will solve the problem in principle

In Druskininkai 100 thousand. population had 221 COVID-19 cases in 14 days.

The mayor of the municipality of Druskininkai, elected with the public committee, Ričardas Malinauskas stated that he has difficulties in understanding the restrictions imposed by the Government.

“If people don’t learn to be careful, to keep their distance and to act on the situation, telling them to wear masks and then running around the corner to see if they are wearing them, it’s probably not so much the search for results as the desire to show something, ”said R. Malinauskas.

According to the mayor, Lithuania is not doing so badly in vaccinating people.

“In Druskininkai, almost 80%, and even in people who have acquired immunity, it really is about that. Today, perhaps which state is more vaccinated? Some people get sick even after being vaccinated,” said R. Malinauskas .

The mayor does not believe that the fight against the virus should be lowered to the municipal level.

“If one municipality accepted that, with masks, another, without masks, it would be total chaos. This is probably the only advantage that it adopts the same rules for all of Lithuania,” said R. Malinauskas.

The mayor does not believe that the pace of life in the spa should be limited in any way during the cold season.

“It just came to our notice then. After the first wave, the euro was released and donated to the medical staff. There was no increase. There were only decreases. People were driving, the resort was full, especially in those months, the load was big, people rested. There was no outbreak. So if people come in and behave wisely, it doesn’t cause any kind of explosion in itself.

Today, our resort is one hundred percent full. And so far the results are not bad ”, said R. Malinauskas.

Mayor of Carpas: The measures should raise awareness

The Telšiai district belongs to the Black Epidemiological Zone. Mayor of the Municipality Kęstutis Gusarovas Delphi said the measures work when people follow them.

“I think all efforts are good if they don’t provoke resistance from the public. I really don’t know how to reach those people through the awareness that vaccines are the main drug after all,” emphasized K. Gusarov.

He said the municipality is making a great effort to encourage residents to get vaccinated.

“We tried every possible way: to do promotions and go to the villages, and the buses stopped at the supermarkets. Tomorrow the Blood Center arrives with Johnsonn to do it for the second time in the area. Well, that high percentage is not, but people have to take care of themselves, “said the mayor of Telšiai.

K. Gusarov commented that residents and business people value the opportunity passport differently.

“It just came to our knowledge then. Some are angry because it is excessive, others think that some kind of measures were needed, that there seemed to be inequality, those who were vaccinated had no advantage. They are different opinions, it is not that one opinion is predominant” said the interlocutor.

According to the mayor, the population should be made aware.

“I think those measures should be more awareness-raising, not just mechanical. Even if you wear a mask, but if someone pops their nose, is the tool effective?” Noted K. Gusarov.