Experts recommend that the Government continue with the quarantine, among whose priorities is the resumption of the activities of educational and business institutions.

Experts note that the epidemic management measures proposed so far by the Board of Experts and implemented by the Government are yielding positive results: a reduction in new COVID-19 cases (7-day average from 3,065 to 935) and deaths. weekly (322 to 186), the situation of personal health institutions is improving (the maximum number of COVID-19 patients in hospitals decreased from 2,571 to 1,689). Most of the first priority people have already been vaccinated: the level of immunity to COVID-19 in personal health workers currently exceeds 80% on average, and in nursing and care institutions 70%.

However, despite the improvement in the situation in the country, the pandemic continues to pose enormous challenges.

New virus strains are spreading in neighboring European countries B.1.1.7, B.1.351, P.1. To date, the influence of these strains on the efficacy of vaccines and treatments is not fully understood. Preliminary studies show faster spread and dominance of new varieties in new areas.

So far, the country has not implemented an effective outbreak (outbreak) management, isolation testing, and tracing system in place to ensure a safe exit from quarantine.

Vaccination and resistance to COVID-19 in the country’s population will increase more slowly than planned due to the disruption in the supply of vaccines.

Suggestions

The Panel recommends that quarantine measures be continued until control of the pandemic can be assumed by an outbreak management system, tracing, containment testing and follow-up and until the number of cases reaches <200 in a sustainable manner in within 7 days and the proportion of positive PCR tests does not exceed 5%.

Initiate tests (PCR or rapid antigen tests) of non-immune to COVID-19 people arriving in Lithuania by air and water to prevent the spread of alarming virus strains in the airport / border area; self-isolation should be applied during the 14 days after the test, allowing the PCR test to be performed during 7 days of isolation and shortening the isolation in case of negative response; Upon arrival in the country, people who are detected a positive PCR or rapid antigen test at the airport or in the border area should be directed for isolation to hotels or other accommodations where contact with healthy people.

Immediately direct the currently unoccupied PCR testing capacities to the highest preventive tests of educational institutions and extinguish the outbreaks.

Systematize COVID – 19 data by collecting COVID – 19 laboratory metadata and NVSC data on COVID – 19 outbreaks in the State Data Management Information System (VDV IS).

Given the importance of educational institutions for the development of the state, advance the vaccination of teachers together with people at risk of old age.

The Board of Experts also identified the following priorities for the coronavirus:

• transformation of public health activities (isolation, testing and tracing, outbreak management system),
• renovation of educational and business institutions,
• vaccination follow-up
• activities of personal health care institutions,
• Systematization and opening of COVID-19 data.

Quarantine changes are also possible this week
Ramunė Kalėdienė, Dean of the Faculty of Public Health of the Lithuanian University of Health Sciences (LSMU), Member of the Council of Experts Delphi He said that several issues were discussed at the meeting.

“We discuss border control issues, sequencing, mutations. There are also some problems that trigger the business, but the discussion about them is what happens the most. We also discuss the need for testing, especially for employees and students of educational institutions”, R. Kalėdienė said.

According to her, the opening of educational institutions is the biggest question now.

“The most controversial issue is the opening of educational institutions, how it could be carried out. Because we are now seeing outbreaks in preschoolers as well, this is very concerning. Realizing that we still have some way to move towards releasing the restrictions, we raised many questions about how this will be done, ”said the professor.

When asked if changes can be expected only next week, R. Kalėdienė said that the government will also make “some decisions” this week.

“It is likely that the government will make some decisions this week, as far as I know. But I really cannot be responsible for the government,” explained the interlocutor.

He recalled that the Ministry of Health (SAM) is committed to developing and publishing a very detailed release plan in the coming days.

“It is up to us, as experts, to provide our information. Any decision will depend on many aspects, “said R. Kalėdienė.

Assessing the epidemiological situation in the country, the LSMU professor said that the acceleration of the decline in cases is slowing down. The situation in an important part of the country’s municipalities has slightly deteriorated.

“It just came to our notice then. But the overall trend is still good. I hope that if we continue to adhere to this, we will follow those restrictions, we will not release too many business areas and others, it will move in a favorable direction.” Delphi said Professor R. Christmas.