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With the announcement last Monday that COVID-19 testing is being paid for, there remains an option to do it at no cost.
By registering online at 1808.lt or by calling the COVID-19 hotline (1808) and choosing tests for those traveling abroad, the PCR test can be performed free of charge. If the result of this test is negative, the resident will receive an EU digital COVID certificate, which will allow them to travel within the EU countries.
From 2021 July 1 The EU digital COVID certificate is valid in all countries of the European Union, as well as in Liechtenstein, Switzerland, Iceland and Norway.
This certificate can be used in Lithuania in the same way as an opportunity passport. Therefore, after announcing that the COVID-19 research status will not reimburse, there are doubts or the money counting compatriots who do not want to be vaccinated will not begin to “travel” virtually – after taking a free PCR test, withdraw the certificate from the EU, use it in Lithuania as a passport and save tens of euros.
Luke April / 15 minute photo / EU digital COVID certificate
The PCR test to obtain and renew a standard passport costs from several tens of euros.
For example, the website of the Vilnius Antakalnis Polyclinic states that the price of a PCR test performed here is 42.28 euros. It is true that these are probably the lowest prices in the capital. In the country’s private clinic networks, its price is even higher: the country’s large private medical networks Antėja and Endemik ask for 79 euros for the study, and InMedica will charge it for 75 euros. Similar prices prevail in other smaller clinics in the country.
With a negative paid PCR test result, the opportunity passport is valid for 48 hours. from the moment of sampling. Meanwhile, in the case of the EU digital COVID certificate, it is valid for 72 hours after a negative PCR test result or 48 hours after a negative rapid antigen test result from the time of sampling.
Furthermore, according to SAM representatives, PCR tests to obtain an EU certificate will remain free. Due to such conditions, Lithuania, like other countries in the bloc, is committed to the EU.
Ernesta Čičiurkaitė / 15 min photo / Arūnas Dulkys
“There are commitments throughout the European Union on certain points in common for the tests for cross-border travel to be valid. These tests would remain free for travel, as provided for in the agreements between all EU member states”, – a early august 15 minutes Health Minister Arūnas Dulkys spoke at the study.
Landos does not see
The Ministry of Health (SAM) says the rules will not be circumvented.
“An EU digital COVID-19 certificate issued on the basis of a negative test result can only be used for traveling abroad. It does not apply to contact activities within the country,” it is written.15 minutes in the sent SAM response.
There are a total of three types of digital EU COVID-19 certificates: the results of vaccination, disease and PCR tests already mentioned.
In case of vaccination or illness, this certificate can be used in the same way as a passport of opportunity. Only their regulation differs substantially: EU digital COVID certificates are more strictly regulated, which is why SAM recommends the use of a passport of opportunity in Lithuania. It is true that residents can have and use these two tools alternately if they wish.
The situation is different with the EU digital COVID certificate obtained with the help of a negative PCR test result; contact activities with him are not valid in Lithuania.
The Ministry of Health affirms that scanning said certificate indicates which of the three facts to obtain a digital COVID certificate from the EU confirms. Therefore, if it is established that a person who has a certificate has been vaccinated or has become ill with COVID-19, the certificate will be valid as a passport of opportunity. If this certificate is obtained through a PCR test, it will not be valid for contact activities.
“The inspector also sees this information in the inspection applet when he scans the QR code.” 15 minutes explained SAM representative Julijanas Gališanskis.
Julius Kalinskas / 15 min photo / passport of opportunity
However, the Ministry specialist points out that contact with said passport must be prevented by the person who verifies the EU COVID-19 digital certificate: the system will recognize the passport as valid, but at the same time the method to obtain it will be shown. . Therefore, the employee who scans the certificate, regardless of the legitimacy of the passport, must also pay attention to this information.
“The commercial representatives were informed about this procedure, it was discussed during the meetings with the commercial organizations,” said J. Gališanskis.
The business is so surprised
Economy Minister Aušrinė Armonaitė spoke more calmly last week. 15 minutes When asked if a European passport can be presented in bars and cafes, he replied: “It really is possible. In the case of institutions that operate with a passport, the European certificate will be applied by analogy “.
On Tuesday, the Ministry of Economy and Innovation declined to comment on the issue and referred it to the Ministry of Health.
15 minutes The business representatives interviewed say that the information on the matter did not reach them, and this procedure makes their work too difficult.
“Our controllers see if the passport is valid or not. If there is suspicion, an identification card is requested. That is all we do. But we cannot afford nor do we have the skills. If someone wants to deceive himself or others, he must explain it to the police and not to us. ” 15 minutes said Gintaras Plytninkas, director of Forum Cinemas cinemas.
He argued that all SAM rulings on the new regime must be read at least a few times and lawyers consulted. “There are many solutions and unclear points. In practice, no solution is easy,” said the interlocutor.
Photo of Forum Cinemas / “Forum Cinemas” inside Kaunas
However, G. Plytninkas added that during this weekend there were only a few cases in five Forum Cinemas cinemas in which the inspectors were not presented with a passport of opportunities, so the interlocutor does not see a big problem for abuse .
“The vast majority are holders of opportunity passports. There is no problem unless the troublemakers feel they can do it and become radicalized. But we haven’t felt it yet,” said the director of Forum Cinemas.
Photo by Julius Kalinskas / 15min / Evalda Šiškauskienė
Head of the Hotel and Restaurant Association Evalda Šiškauskienė 15 minutes He said he had not heard of such a lawsuit until Tuesday, and had been heard from reporters.
“I have no answer. If the passport of opportunity is for internal use, they must differ in their functions. As a foreigner, it is clear that with a” green “passport you will be allowed entry to both a hotel and a restaurant, so I find it very strange, “said the manager briefly.
Member of the Board of the Event Industry Association, representative of the company Elitaz grupė Gediminas Jaunius 15 minutes He also stated that he had not heard that visitors holding an EU digital COVID-19 certificate obtained from a PCR study should not be able to engage in contact activities.
“My personal opinion is that in the passport of opportunities we should not seek to restrict rights or retaliate against someone if someone thinks differently from the rest of society, but to guarantee security in principle,” said the interlocutor.
Photo by Tomas Kauneckas / Gediminas Jaunius
He added that he was not exactly familiar with the technical reasoning as to why one type of certificate might not be appropriate. G. Jaunius emphasized that if the only argument were that the certificate was obtained during a free examination, he would consider such a situation absurd.
“As for what I did in the summer, there were all kinds of cases, including European passports, but most of them were still passports of opportunities. Most of them take out Lithuanian because it is simpler. The European passport has been used, no I’ll say exactly how much, but I guess it would be around 10%, “he said.
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