New procedure for isolation: SAM explained what exactly is changing

Isolation will not apply to:

– Special interest or self-employed workers, border and displaced workers, as well as seasonal workers;

– transport workers or transport service providers, including drivers of goods vehicles transporting goods to the area in question and drivers of vehicles in transit only, etc .;

– patients traveling for important medical reasons;

– pupils, students and scholarship holders who travel abroad on a daily basis;

– people traveling for important family or business reasons;

– diplomats, personnel of international organizations and persons invited by international organizations whose physical presence is necessary for the proper functioning of said organizations, military personnel and police, as well as humanitarian aid workers and civil protection personnel in the performance of their functions;

– passengers in transit;

– Seafarers;

– journalists in the performance of their duties;

– high performance athletes, specialists in high performance sports, high performance sports instructors, sports medical personnel participating in international tournaments;

– Lithuanian citizens returning from Belarus: teachers practicing Lithuanian education in schools in Belarus and clergymen doing pastoral work in Belarus.

It should be noted that the insulation is not applied with no more than 48 hours. A coronavirus test was carried out during the period before the return or arrival in Lithuania and received a negative response. In this case, for 10 days after returning or arriving in Lithuania, people should restrict communication, not visit meeting places, such as events, shops, museums, restaurants, etc., follow the regime of home work. When communicating, it is recommended to always wear protective gear that covers the nose and mouth, to maintain a safe distance and other preventive measures.

You also do not need to be in isolation if you have a certificate from a medical institution about a recurrent coronavirus infection no earlier than 3 months before arriving in Lithuania.

The order of the Minister of Health also provides for exceptions when it is possible to leave the place of isolation.

An exposed person returning from a foreign country may leave the place of isolation no later than 24 hours in advance. After leaving the isolation area, inform the National Public Health Center (NVSC) in the following cases:

– organize the funeral of a close person, the transportation of the remains and / or participate in the armor / funeral ceremony of a close person (you can report without respecting the 24-hour period);

– go to a medical institution for nasopharyngeal smear laboratory tests and pharyngeal coronavirus infection or for medical care;

– people who have come to Lithuania for legal matters (civil registration, notary, etc.) or for studies to go to the place necessary to handle study or legal matters;

– attend your wedding;

– for highly qualified athletes, sports specialists, instructors, sports medical personnel (upon presentation of the supporting documents received from the inviting legal entities), to attend high-performance sports exercises, training camps, competitions and institutions or establishments related to their sport activities;

– foreigners who come to Lithuania for special humanitarian reasons to go to a place necessary to deal with legal matters or receive medical care services;

– Go to public institutions, bodies, offices and agencies at their invitation or attend to the necessary matters within them.

It is important to note that foreigners and Lithuanian citizens living or working abroad, as well as people who need to leave for health care reasons, can leave Lithuania for the country where they live, work or where they will be given medical care before of the 10-day isolation period. .

A person who has been in contact with the patient can leave the isolation area no later than 24 hours in advance. inform the NVSC before leaving the isolation site in the following cases:

– organize the funeral of a close person, the transportation of the remains or participate in the armor and funeral ceremony of a close person (you can report without respecting the 24-hour period);

– to go to a medical facility for a nasopharyngeal and pharyngeal coronavirus infection smear test or for medical care.

It should be noted that for some reason, to change the location of the insulation, it is necessary to apply to the NVSC and obtain a permit. True, the permit is issued only to go to another place of isolation. Without informing the NVSC, it is possible to leave the isolation place in advance by tel. 1808 after NVSC registration or registration to go to a mobile point to take a nasopharynx and pharynx smear for testing for coronavirus infection.

The order of the Minister of Health also provides for a period of isolation.

The duration of isolation of patients with coronavirus infection is specified in the Order of the Ministry of Health no. V-383 in the approved description of procedures for the diagnosis and treatment of coronavirus infection in children and adults.

In people suspected of having a coronavirus infection, isolation is applied until a laboratory test for the coronavirus is received;

In exposed persons, the isolation will be applied for 14 days from the last day of exposure if a laboratory test is not performed, or less if a laboratory test for coronavirus has been performed and a negative result has not been obtained during at least 10 days of isolation. The isolation period will be shortened once the NVSC receives information from ESPBI IS on the negative result of the test performed during the specified period;

Exposed travelers returning from abroad are subject to 10-day isolation from arrival or return to Lithuania if a laboratory test is not performed, or until a negative result is obtained, if such a test is performed in Lithuania. If a negative test result is obtained, the isolation is no longer applied. However, 10 days after returning or arriving in Lithuania, these people must restrict communication, not visit meeting places and follow the “work at home” regime. It is also important to always wear protective gear that covers the nose and mouth, to maintain a safe distance and other preventive measures when communicating.

Foreigners arriving in Lithuania, with the exceptions provided, must also isolate themselves for 10 days or take a test for coronavirus (COVID-19). The Operations Manager’s Decision on Alien Isolation can be found HERE.

SAM recalls that Lithuania, following the recommendations of the Council of Europe, applies the so-called traffic light principle and divides countries into four categories according to colors: green, yellow, red and gray.

The green group will include countries with a morbidity of less than 25 cases per 100,000. population in the last 14 days and the proportion of positive tests is less than 4%. This means that there will be no restrictions for people coming from the green zone.

The yellow group will be made up of countries with a morbidity of less than 50 cases per 100,000. population in the last 14 days, and the proportion of positive tests is 4% or more. or morbidity in the last 14 days ranges between 25 and 150 cases per 100,000. the proportion of the population and positive research is less than 4%.

The red group will include countries with 50 or more cases per 100,000 cases. population in the last 14 days and the proportion of positive tests 4 and more percent. or the morbidity is greater than 150 cases per 100 thousand. population in the last 14 days.

In the gray group, there will be countries whose data are insufficient to assess the above criteria or where the scope of testing is 300 or fewer studies per 100,000. population within 7 days.

As before, the list of affected countries will be published every Friday and will go into effect on Monday.