Coronavir crisis: highlights of Monday

Spread of the virus. Six new cases of coronavirus infection have been confirmed in Lithuania per day. Five of them are related to fireplaces at personal celebrations in Kernavė and Kalveliai, one case is imported from the UK. Health professionals urge residents to postpone personal vacations if possible and are considering allowing people from abroad to test for coronaviruses on a voluntary basis.

End of quarantine. The government emergency commission proposed to the cabinet to lift the quarantine from June 17, but extend the emergency to the state level. The commission, chaired by Interior Minister Rita Tamašunienė, also proposes to extend temporary controls at the EU’s internal borders until July 16.

Travel restrictions. Spain and Malta have been added to the list of countries since Monday for which 14 days of self-isolation are optional. The Foreign Ministry has withdrawn the warning not to go to these states.

Preventive tests. The Health Ministry has announced that residents of eight municipalities will undergo more intensive testing for coronavirus prevention this week. Trial volumes are increasing in Vilnius city and Vilnius district, Lazdijai, Ignalina, Šalčininkai, Skuodas, Elektrėnai and Šakiai.

Hospital work. New statistics show that 70% of patients have renewed their services or intend to do so in the near future. outpatient clinics, almost 85 percent. hospitals and dental offices. Health Minister Aurelius Veryga says some agencies were quick to open their doors when they received a warning that they could lose funds if they unduly delay the resumption of operations.

Increase in service prices. Lithuanian statistics announced that prices for services in Lithuania increased 0.2 percent during the month and increased 4.8 percent during the year. These statistics sparked a discussion among Lithuanian economists about a possible strategy for service providers to compensate for losses due to reduced billing by increasing prices.

Military training. The coronavirus threat is changing plans for the United States and NATO military exercises in the Baltic States. Fewer soldiers and teams will participate in the traditional Baltops exercises this year, they will be held alone in the Baltic Sea, abandoning shore-based actions. Soldiers have been tested for the coronavirus beforehand, and military contact will be limited during the exercise.

EU budget. President Gitanas Nausėda invited the Ministers of Finance, Agriculture, Environment, Energy, Economy, Education and Foreign Affairs to coordinate Lithuania’s position on the future EU budget and the European Recovery Plan. The Minister of Transport and Communications, Jaroslav Narkevičius, did not receive an invitation to the Presidency. The European Commission proposes that Lithuania could request 6.3 billion. € 750 billion from the emerging European Recovery Fund. euros After the meeting, G. Nausėda stated that EU funds should be invested significantly in the sectors that will create the greatest added value in the future.

Insurance market. In the first quarter of this year, the Lithuanian insurance market continued to grow, but it also felt the first effects of the coronavirus: the number of unit-linked life insurance contracts and compulsory automobile liability insurance decreased significantly in March. This is stated in the review of the Lithuanian insurance market published by the Bank of Lithuania.

Business support. Government Deputy Foreign Minister Lukas Savickas announced that the € 1 billion Business Support Fund should be operational by the end of the summer. Previously, the government announced plans that a fund to rescue medium and large companies could be operational in early June.

In the neighborhood:

• In Poland, there was a record jump in new cases of COVID-19 coronavirus infection over the weekend, with more than a thousand cases detected on Saturday and Sunday. Most of them are associated with a coal mine in the south of the country. Twelve mines in the Silesia region have been suspended for three weeks due to an outbreak. The Lithuanian government says it sees no reason to adjust Lithuania’s agreements with Poland when crossing the border.
• Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin has announced that he will partially open the country’s borders and allow him to go abroad to work, study and receive treatment, as well as to care for his relatives. Russia will allow foreigners who come to the country to receive treatment or care for family members. Moscow has lifted the restrictions since Tuesday: Mayor Sergei Sobyanin has announced that the city’s self-isolation and permit system will be lifted. In Russia, almost 9,000 were found again every day. In the new COVID-19 cases, 112 people died.
• No new cases of COVID-19 have been reported in Latvia in the last day, and a new infection has been confirmed in Estonia.

In other places abroad:

• The number of coronavirus deaths has exceeded 400,000 worldwide, and the infection continues to spread rapidly in Latin America. The number of confirmed cases of COVID-19 worldwide exceeded 7 million.
• Britain has introduced a requirement that most incoming people be isolated for two weeks. The government says the goal is to prevent a second wave of disease, but critics say the government is unduly complicating the work of hotels and airlines by restricting travel from countries less affected by the pandemic.

• The New Zealand Prime Minister announced that all restrictions placed on the coronavirus will be lifted on Tuesday. No new cases of infection have been detected in the country for 17 consecutive days.

Important news not related to coronavir:

• The Minneapolis City Council has announced that the local police department will be dismantled and reorganized after the death of black George Floyd, who was arrested by police. Flyd’s death in the United States has sparked protests that have been going on for two weeks. Riots, looting, arson and clashes with the police erupted in some places during the protests.