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No plans to reduce restrictions yet
Population mobility is lower than in December, but higher than in the spring during quarantine: mobility is -79 percent. “In short, we are on the right track, but the current restrictions must be maintained. Because we have the examples of the Czech Republic and Ireland, where it was decided to release the restrictions as the situation improved there. After those decisions, that curve is he shot, ”said the Minister.
He thanked the police, as well as the social partners, a total of more than two thousand agents and partners who worked last week. There were about 1,200 checkpoints. About 4 thousand were lost. around 1.4 thousand cars were registered.
“The main purpose of the police is not to punish people, but first of all to inform about the need to comply with the requirements of quarantine restrictions. Most of the protocols were issued to collect violations. It is especially dangerous to meet in private places, because there are many risks associated with the spread of the virus, ”said A.Bilotaitė.
Kaunas County Police Photo / Kaunas Police Work at Block Offices
So far, no decisions on changes are foreseen and it is further argued that a more specific assessment of the situation will be possible on January 17.
Complained about not being safe outside
Police Commissioner General Renatas Požėla said that after learning the lessons of the festive period, the police changed the nature of their work, trying to organize work in such a way that there were more surprises, more mobility, so that the positions were where they were not expected.
“With less capacity, but working in a different way, we can achieve a good result. The prohibition of movement between municipalities works effectively. There is less traffic on Lithuanian roads and on highways 79 percent. The weekend was pretty empty in resorts. I drove around Trakai, Kernavė myself, I really saw that there are no people gatherings. What won’t you say about big cities this weekend? ”Said R. Požėla.
He said he would have to talk again about the weak link in the restrictions: the restriction of the movement of people in the same municipality. According to him, the emphasis is on private spaces where the police cannot control everything, mentioning here the information already released about Friday’s event in Vilnius, when a conflict arose between officials and party participants.
Another observation by R. Požėla was about winter entertainment in the country: people did not enjoy such pleasures responsibly.
“In a way, we became the police of the hills and other places over the weekend. We really had a lot of work to do. This is where we find ourselves between the hammer and the anvil. On the one hand, we have been accused of not being decisive enough, not wasting people, not writing protocols, on the other hand, we have heard criticism of what we are doing there at all. I emphasized the question at the WESC meeting about the importance of improving our communication in relation to the same threats in public places.
Our officials have repeatedly heard such irresponsible statements that children are not afraid of the virus, that it is impossible to catch the virus while sledding, ”said R. Požėla, stating that it is necessary to focus on speaking and explaining elementary truths.
In a sense, we became the police in the hills and elsewhere on the weekend. We really had a lot of work to do.
The General Police Commissioner said that preparations have already been made for next weekend: “According to forecasts, winter will not go away, the same threats and challenges will not disappear anywhere. Maybe our ally is cold, in a sense I’m kidding. But we are planning other measures, perhaps more effective. It is possible to restrict the access of people to one or another object.
The problem is that people end up in the same places at the same time. A lot of those people show up there. We will try to handle that situation even more effectively next weekend. “
R. Požėla also mentioned that the increase in cases of violence is worrying. Also in front of the police officers, he reminded the policeman that he was injured in Kaunas on Friday.
Fear of the example of the Czech Republic and Ireland
Lithuanian chief epidemiologist Loreta Ašoklienė said morbidity rates remain high but have already decreased slightly. A week ago, the indicator was 1,226, now, 1005 illnesses per 100,000. population in 14 days. “This is one of the highest morbidity rates in Europe,” he said, saying it was just one of the indicators used to assess the overall situation.
The volume of examinations is back to normal, as it was before the holidays, and the proportion of positive cases a week ago was 21%, now 15%.
Photo by Julius Kalinskas / 15min / Loreta Ašoklienė
“It is like the positive change that we are waiting for, but it is only the first week that we see positive numbers, but we would not like to be very happy. I would like to see longer term trends and constantly decreasing numbers. Until now, we have to assess situation with caution, but we can notice positive signs, ”said L. Ašoklienė.
The chief epidemiologist also pointed out that although the number of municipalities where the virus is spreading is decreasing, this is not the case in the municipalities of Akmenė, Ignalina, Biržai and Jurbarkas, so it is not yet possible to say that there are positive changes. in Lithuania.
Even with the decrease in morbidity, both mortality statistics and hospitalizations will remain at similar levels, a reduction in deaths and hospital burden is certainly not expected in the next week.
There are also no positive changes in hospital employment and the situation remains tense. “We register between 20 and 30 deaths every day, which is quite a large number. Even with the decrease in morbidity, both the death statistics and the volume of hospitalizations will remain at a similar level or may fluctuate, certainly no one is expected. reduction in deaths and hospital burden in the next week, ”said L.
He also mentioned the Czech Republic, where morbidity had decreased dramatically under strict quarantine measures, but when they were released, the morbidity curves increased again and approached the situation in Lithuania. The same is true in Ireland.
L. Ašoklienė also wanted to warn people who spend time in nature that it is not as safe as it seems.
“Especially when we saw people gathering in nature and parks over the weekend, when the speeches about the possibility or impossibility began, there was a higher or lower risk of getting infected outdoors, so I must say that the risk of getting infected remains. It is a little smaller than indoors. But when you are outdoors, without keeping safe distances, without wearing masks, the risk remains the same, “said the chief epidemiologist.
He also mentioned that masks get wet faster outside and their protection decreases. Additionally, by actively spending time exercising, the virus is shed at a higher rate and children can certainly become infected and develop COVID-19.
VIDEO: Control on the roads is tightened: infractions will be punished immediately, poles will appear anywhere, the police will also patrol the city
Lithuania has a stricter quarantine regime until January 31. He closed many stores, hairdressers, restricted the movement of people and meetings.
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