The government has decided: bars will be open for one more hour, supermarkets will be open on weekends, fewer restrictions – with the Passport of Opportunities

Many of the new exemptions of May 24 will only be available to companies that serve visitors with the so-called Passport of Opportunity.

The Passport of Opportunities is scheduled to go into effect on May 24. – Thereafter, people who are immune or have tested negative for COVID-19 for at least 24 hours will be able to visit catering establishments, with fewer additional restrictions.

Health Minister Arūnas Dulkys added that the decision on the quarantine announcement should be reviewed – to perform “hygiene”: “Because now it is very complicated for both the consumer and the reader, and for our own discussions.”

“We really agree in the Government in general about the hygiene of the quarantine order itself, its convenience for the consumer, that we want to review it in principle,” said A. Dulkys.

Prime Minister Ingrida Šimonytė agreed that the current wording of the resolution should be edited and corrections corrected.

Supermarkets and markets will be open on weekends.

The government lifted the ban on weekend shopping malls, pavilion complexes with covered roofs in markets. The first weekend supermarkets will be open is May 29-30.

“It is proposed to allow all the points of sale to operate every day,” explained A. Dulkys.

Area restrictions remain. Grocery stores must provide an area of ​​15 square meters per visitor. This requirement includes the sale of food, veterinary medicine, animal feed, flowers, optical items, orthopedic technical devices, funeral supplies and pharmacies.

Other stores must provide 20 square meters. meters per visitor. The whole mall should fit: at least 50 m2. meters for one person.

Until now, the operation of supermarkets was prohibited on Saturdays and Sundays; they could only operate separate stores with open-air entrances.

For bars and restaurants: up to 22 hours

Cafes, restaurants, bars or other catering establishments will be open from 7 am to 10 pm.

“It is proposed to extend the opening hours of catering establishments, restaurants, cafes, bars, excluding nightclubs or other entertainment venues, casinos and gaming machines, bingo halls, betting shops and betting shops, to 22 hours when operating indoors and serving only people with a “passport of opportunity,” the provision states.

The strict restrictions are somewhat relaxed. Without the Opportunity Passport, it will still be possible to visit only at tables in open spaces, with capacity for no more than 5 people (previously – 2), except for members of a family or household.

“We are extending the working hours until 10 at night when the activities take place in open spaces and I have also noticed that during the informal meeting we also talked about increasing the number of people at the table. Not one, but two people can sit next to one, “said Minister A. Dulkys

With the Opportunity Passport, it will be possible to visit not only catering establishments, but also casinos, raffles or betting points until 10 pm, but it is not possible to visit nightclubs or other entertainment establishments.

When asked why work hours were extended by just one hour, A. Dulkys noted that this had been discussed with epidemiologists.

“Only all the solutions, each proposal that is presented, has been constantly discussed with epidemiologists. Since we have consistent trends, it is good that they are improving and these changes are gradual, ”said A. Dulkys.

Regarding discos, A. Dulkys explained that the objective is to reduce morbidity: “Each of these elements, which has entered the Government, has reached a certain stage of discussion, where specialists, experts and epidemiologists met.”

Restaurants, bars, cafes and other catering establishments have been closed for more than half a year, since November 7 last year, when the quarantine took effect.

The services will require a less mandatory area: 10 square meters M. meters

For service providers such as beauty or massage salons and others, the mandatory space requirement is reduced to at least 10 square meters per visitor. Until now, services in which the contact between the service provider and the recipient lasted more than 15 minutes were subject to 20 square kilometers. Area limitation of meters.

“It is proposed to unify the minimum space requirements for all service locations, to establish a uniform service space requirement of 10 m2 for one recipient of the service,” the Government writes.

It will continue to be necessary to ensure the conditions established for the management of the flow of people, the maintenance of a safe distance, the necessary public health, safety, hygiene and the provision of people with the necessary personal protective equipment.

For pools, either with the Opportunity Passport or with 20 square meters M. Area limitation of meters

The government has allowed the renovation of pool services for a maximum of 50 visitors, but with an area of ​​at least 20 square meters per person.

For workouts or group sessions, a maximum of 5 visitors (excluding service providers) can be in a pool lane.

If services are provided only to visitors with an Opportunity Passport, the above restrictions will not apply.

Changes for sauna services. They could be provided to a maximum of 2 people, a family or a household.

Another option is to provide sauna services only to people who have an Opportunity Passport, then there are no restrictions on the number of people.

Sports clubs will have to choose what to admit

The new resolution adopted an additional exemption for sports clubs, but only to accept visitors with an Opportunity Passport. If only such visitors are allowed, there would be no limit on the maximum number of people or the area that must be available per person.

Otherwise, the current restriction remains: service providers of sports facilities, sports clubs and fitness centers must provide 20 square meters M. meters per person, including service providers. Group training can be conducted with the participation of up to 5 people (excluding service providers).

Guided tours available – up to 25 people

Larger guided tours are allowed starting Monday. Until now, 10 people could participate in the excursions, and only groups of no more than 5 people could visit the parks, museums, galleries, zoos or botanical gardens in the open spaces.

Groups of 25 people can be visited with a guide. These groups will not be subject to the existing 20 m2. Area limitation of meters.

Less traffic restrictions

As the circle of people who may have close contacts has expanded, restrictions on the number of people in vehicles have been lifted.

Urban, long-distance and suburban regular passenger transport routes can occupy a maximum of 50%. all places to sit and stand (previously only sitting was allowed).

Larger personal vacations when renting premises.

More opportunities for personal celebrations open up when rooms are rented.

Normally, private parties can be held indoors starting on Monday if two households or two families attend, or no more than 5 people. With the Opportunity Passport, no more than 10 people.

And if the premises are rented and the control is insured by the owners, with the Opportunity Passport, the limitation of the number of people in the event does not apply.

It is possible to work in the workplace with the Passport of Opportunities.

Employees with an Opportunity Passport will be able to return from telecommuting to workplaces.

“Since there is the possibility of re-contacting the work for people with an” opportunity passport “, it is necessary to give employers the possibility to verify the data of the employees” passport of opportunity “, since such option was provided only for service providers, “writes the government.

If approved by the Government, these proposals will go into effect on May 24, along with the Passport of Opportunities.

The government is also planning more changes in communication and education for those involved, which Delfi has described here.