Highlights: What is known about the quarantine mitigation plan

Incidence thresholds in scenarios

On Monday, after the government meeting, Prime Minister Ingrida Šimonytė stated that the separate quarantine scenarios are divided into sections according to the morbidity rate: 100,000. the number of cases per population during 14 days and the positive proportion of studies carried out.

The Prime Minister stated that the quarantine mitigation plan contains several cuts for each quarantine scenario.

“The scenarios are still quite clear, with the colors of that great group. This was announced from the early days when experts provided their knowledge. Those indicators have thresholds and thresholds. We are currently in the range of between 200 and 500 cases per 100,000. population in 14 days, this is a red scenario, we are moving towards the middle ”, said the Head of Government about the current epidemiological situation.

“To avoid very sudden changes, the plan divides this color into several subsectors, scenario B – in two”, I. Šimonytė presented the plan.

He stated that the exemptions are divided into areas of activity: home meetings, health care activities, organization of health services, education, non-formal education and educational assistance, catering activities, commerce, service provision, movement internment of people, meetings, cultural activities, sporting and entertainment events, regulation of the use of masks, activities of social service institutions, activities of prisons, activities of foreign registration offices, border control and entry regulation of foreigners.

What to expect from the educational community?

Educational institutions should also receive information about certain quarantined releases, Prime Minister I. Šimonytė said on Monday.

“The educational community can expect knowledge in the coming weeks. We really want to test large-scale tests in schools, that the knowledge reaches first to the beginners and then to the graduates, ”he said.

However, this will require special tests.

“Now there is a discussion about what special tests we could do on school teams to test there. I think it would be a great facilitation of life so that the school could start to function in a normal, contact or at least mixed way, ”said I. Šimonytė.

The Prime Minister said that after the winter break for students, which will take place from February 15 to 19, it will be possible to talk about concrete steps.

“Given that next week there are student holidays, I think that after school holidays we will be able to talk specifically about specific steps and specific educational institutions,” he also emphasized.

Last week, the Minister of Education, Science and Sports Jurgita Šiugždienienė promised that graduates would be able to study on a mixed basis starting on March 1.

“We plan that graduates will be able to return and study in a mixed manner if the morbidity rate is less than 150 cases per 100,000 inhabitants and the proportion of positive tests does not exceed 5 percent. I suggest that graduates go back to schools from March 1, “said Minister J. Šiugždinienė.

It is expected that as the epidemiological situation improves, students from other classes will be able to return to educational institutions on a mixed basis.

You will have to get used to the masks

Health Minister Arūnas Dulkys stated that for the time being, the instruction to wear protective masks will not be relaxed. However, the Minister does not rule out the possibility that in the coming weeks, in the evaluation of the epidemiological situation, it could be discussed again about changes in the rules for the use of masks.

According to him, the issue of wearing protective masks was also discussed with experts.

“It just came to our notice then. Currently, according to our planned plan to change restrictions, it is still planned to be optional in open spaces only when we have scenario A – when the number of cases is less than 25 (100,000 inhabitants in 14 days – aut. P.) “, – said A. Dulkys on Monday at a press conference held after the Government meeting.

According to him, the main argument why the order to wear protective masks in all public places remains that masks are a sufficiently cheap and sufficiently effective means of protection.

“The value for money is good, but that our life in the consideration of measures will be more and more intense. At the same time, I do not rule out the possibility that when we see the dynamics of the figures change, the debate will return both on this measure and on other measures, ”said the Minister of Health.

However, he stressed that, considering the current situation, no changes are expected in the near future due to the use of masks.

“The most recent decision is that they should still be before stage A,” Dulkys added.

Household contacts

Prime Minister I. Šimonytė said Monday that currently only quarantine releases are being discussed which are not increasing people’s mobility and contacts.

Therefore, one should not expect quick permission to meet with multiple households when these are no exceptions to the bubble of social support.

Regular meetings between two households can only be allowed in quarantine scenario B. Experts have called it like this: when 100 thousand. the population represents between 50 and 100 cases in 14 days and the proportion of positive tests is less than 4 percent.

According to data from the Department of Statistics, on Tuesday the total morbidity in Lithuania is 339 cases per 100 thousand. population within 14 days, the proportion of positive research – 8.2 percent.

Under current procedure, divination in public places is limited to 2 people.

Two levels of quarantine

According to Agnė Bilotaitė, the interior minister, told the media after Monday’s meeting of the Government Emergency Commission (WESC), the government will also be asked to make decisions on two levels of quarantine, national and self-government. Once a good performance has been achieved, individual release plans could be considered in some municipalities, but the situation in this municipality will need to be closely monitored: tests, outbreaks and other controls.

The Ministry of Health also proposes to apply contact education in municipalities if morbidity rates are lower than in the country as a whole. This exception would not apply to graduates, in order to ensure a level playing field for exams, contact training for seniors would be nationwide. Each release will be considered separately and must be approved by the Government.

Seimas spokesperson Viktorija Čmilytė – Nielsen wrote on Facebook over the weekend that the quarantine could be relaxed in 4 municipalities in the country: Rietavas, Jurbarkas, Kalvarija or Birštonas.

A. Bilotaitė stated that if quarantine is relaxed in separate municipalities, movement restrictions will have to remain in effect.

“This plan makes it clear that we are talking about separate quarantine plans for individual municipalities where the situation is better. But in such a case, there is a condition: in Lithuania, restrictions between municipalities must be ensured at that time, ”A. Bilotaitė said at a press conference organized after the WESC meeting.

When will the releases reach the cultural sector?

More than a week ago, Culture Minister Simonas Kairys also presented preliminary dates on which the doors of museums and galleries could be opened to visitors, as well as cultural events.

When there will be 200 cases, 100 thousand. Residents within 14 days, according to the Minister of Culture, “will have the opportunity to open museums, galleries, other exhibition spaces. There will be an opportunity for cultural events without getting out of the car. “

At that time, the instructions for no more meetings should still be in effect.

“We can already talk about the opening of cinemas, treating them not as events, but as a service, and there will be common special requirements for this: 10 square meters per recipient of the service, etc. 50 cases / 100 thousand residents: 50 are allowed events indoors, 100 outdoors.

The ministry aims to double the numbers, but so far it remains so. 25 cases / 100 thousand. population: events are allowed indoors for 100 people, outdoors, for 200. The Ministry aims for double the numbers, but so far it continues to be the case, ”said S. Kairys more than a week ago.

What will be decided on Wednesday?

On Wednesday, the government will not only have to approve a strategy for the gradual release of existing quarantine restrictions, but also promise to liberalize the quarantine conditions for ultra-small nonessential stores with an area not exceeding 300 meters. squares. It will also be possible to provide beauty services by ensuring that there is at least 20 square meters per client, or by serving only one person. It will also be necessary to ensure other security requirements, tests.

Wednesday also promises to offer outdoor sports training for one person.

“We will offer to decide on field training when there is a client and a coach. It is also a determined service, it only works in even safer circumstances, because it works outdoors, ”said Minister of Economy and Innovation Aušrinė Armonaitė at the government meeting on Monday.

Delphi recalls that the quarantine in Lithuania has been in force since November 7 and that strict measures have been adopted since December 16. The quarantine was extended until February 28.