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“(During the government meeting) we will talk about masks, (…) because wearing a mask is something very simple to do, but we plan to discuss whether there should be a recommendation rule, where we actively recommend, in some cases mandatory,” he said A. Dulkys to reporters at the Seimas on Tuesday.
He said he did not want to consider where the masks would be mandatory yet, but noted that efforts would be made to avoid the universal mandatory return of masks, as such requirements are redundant in some situations.
“When there was horizontal universal use of masks everywhere, it received so much criticism because there were so many situations where it is common sense that it is not necessary to have that mask here. We really want to find that golden average and not repeat those mistakes, because a large part of society is still vaccinated, we have test algorithms, we want to use all the tools in a proportional and adequate way, ”said the Minister.
The country identified 1,155 new cases of COVID-19 last day, killing 18 people, according to data released by Statistics Lithuania on Tuesday. Fifteen dead were not vaccinated or were partially vaccinated.
On Tuesday, Lithuania entered the worst “black” zone of the pandemic. Until now, the country has been classified as a “red” zone.
The colored areas of the epidemiological situation are defined according to 100,000 new cases. population older than 14 days and the proportion of positive diagnostic tests. In Lithuania, they currently reach 504.5 cases and 6.1%, respectively, and both increased during the day.
Pandemic management decisions have been associated with zones of color in the past, but the Government now emphasizes the importance of hospital employment in deciding on the toughening of the pandemic.
Asked if, due to the deterioration of the epidemiological situation, it is considered to return the restrictions to activities, A. Dulkys stated that the most important thing is to encourage unvaccinated people to get vaccinated, because “80–90%. all situations related to a pandemic are related to non-vaccination ”.
According to A. Dulkis, ways will be sought to incentivize people over 75 who have not yet done so, as this age group is associated with the highest number of deaths and hospital employment.
“We will consider what other measures we could take to promote vaccination in the 75+ group, because 80-90%.” The problems related to the results of today’s pandemic, hospitals, resuscitation, deaths, are precisely related to this group of age, which means that there is a risk group here where we must make efforts to encourage, “said the minister.
Approximately six out of ten people over the age of 80 have been vaccinated, with a vaccination rate of more than 70% in the age group 75-79 years and around 78% in the age groups 65-69 and 70 to 74 years.
On Tuesday, Lithuania entered the worst “black” zone of the pandemic. Until now, the country has been classified as a “red” zone.
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