The ministry has proposed dates for the resumption of beauty services, skiing and the opening of shops

The Ministry of Economy and Innovation (EIM) has presented three proposals to the government to ease the quarantine conditions, which are expected to be decided starting this week.

On February 1, it would be possible to ski at the outdoor mountain ski resorts, of which there are six in Lithuania.

Outdoor stores could open February 8 and beauty services would be renewed. However, with important limitations.

We offer such relaxation as the ministry, the plan of the Ministry of Health (SAM) is a little more moderate. If it is decided to make these changes, this week there would be a meeting in the Government ”, says V. Jurgutis.

He explains that ski resorts would not be able to rent equipment, provide pre-registration, manage customer flows, establish safe distances and other mandatory security measures that the emergency manager could establish.

“There is also a suggestion that as of February 8, the stores could start operating, those that have an entrance from the outside.” Let it be the very beginning of the activity: we could limit it not even in square meters, but simply in one store at a time to serve no more than one person ”, says V. Jurgutis.

The larger stores would still have to wait unless they were ready to operate in such conditions. He explains that serving a single customer would avoid unnecessary contacts, and for small businesses it would be a boost, in the regions, so there are stores that serve multiple customers in an hour or even a day.

“The third thing is beauty services. Again, with very strict traffic restrictions when more than one client is not served at the same time in the same room. That room must be at least 10 square meters. Meters, the intervals between the provision of services to customers will be at least 15 minutes, in accordance with all the essential requirements for the operation. Also from February 8, “says V. Jurgutis to Delfi.

You are concerned that these activities are coming to fruition, where minimum security requirements are not necessarily met.

“The sector is closed and we can feel that those services are not necessarily provided, sometimes in a gray area. We can only guess what security requirements apply there. Our position at EIM is to allow, even under very strict conditions, but to start open businesses, ”says V. Jurgutis.

He assured that these proposals have already been formally presented and that an agreement will be sought with other ministries as a result.

“We listen to the recommendations and arguments of all specialists, and we are waiting for them on these issues. And what decision will be made, there is certainly no requirement here, just a glimpse of how some launches could be done a little faster than planned. It is clear that if the trend of morbidity does not change, “says the Vice Minister of Economy and Innovation.

He stressed that the reduction of trade constraints could not be too early or too late.

“When decisions are made, then we will see that everyone in the government communicates in a really business way, I don’t think everyone thinks the same or everyone’s opinion is 100%. agree, but it is important that we speak openly ”, says V. Jurgutis.

Any change will be decided by the entire Government.

Aistė Šukšta, a public relations adviser to the Ministry of Health, says there is currently no specific plan for the release of quarantine restrictions.

“This is still a complete project, it is in the absolute stage of discussion, it is being prepared, first of all, taking into account the recommendations of the expert council. The entire government makes the decision to quarantine, it will not be the decision of the Ministry of Health. The government also approves the quarantine conditions, ”says A. Šukšta.

She explains that the issue is complex and that individual ministries have different tools, not just health care. The Health Ministry made a separate proposal, but the Government Emergency Commission (WESC) agreed that the ministries would formulate their proposals within a week.

“Everyone has to coordinate with each other so that the left knows what the right is doing and everything goes in harmony. The mechanism is very simple, the decisions are made by the government, ”says A. Šukšta.

He explained that on Monday it was decided within the SESC that after the ministries prepared their proposals on how to gradually come out of quarantine within a week, on Monday, during the SESC meeting again, all the ministries should seek consensus and solutions. . And when they are found, submit them to the Government for approval or rejection at the meeting next Wednesday.

However, this does not mean that there will be a plan to ease the restrictions next week.

“No, I can’t really say that next Wednesday. The ministry may not agree on Monday or it will take longer to assess the changing situation. This is very difficult to predict. But during the last WESC, it was agreed that the ministries will come back with their ideas and proposals on Monday, ”says A. Šukšta.

However, he added that the government can also make individual decisions on the release of restrictions or changes in the conditions at the meeting.