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“Starting Monday, we will apply this indicator, it means that today, when the list of affected countries is approved, there will be no more than 16 cases per 100,000. population, but to countries that will exceed 25 cases per 100,000. population during the last 14 days, ”A.Veryga reported at the press conference.
According to Friday, The morbidity rate in Lithuania is 15.6, in Latvia – 4.3, in Estonia – 20.8 case 100 thousand. population.
Morbidity rates are published daily. On the website of the European Center for Disease Prevention and Control, which is also followed by Lithuania in publishing the list of affected countries. According to them, as of Monday it will no longer be necessary to isolate the return from countries such as Germany, Poland, Iceland, Bulgaria, Sweden. The official list will be released on Friday afternoon.
“Observing the situations around us would probably make it easier for us to breathe, and that bubble could expand in some way, because our neighbor Poland would also be on their list. This is very relevant for many of our compatriots, ”said A.Veryga. Remembered that Lithuania applies more exceptions to Poland than to other countries, but travel there is still very limited.
Starting Monday, you will no longer have to isolate yourself after returning from countries like Germany, Poland, Iceland, Bulgaria, Sweden.
The Minister stressed that the new 25 cases per 100 thousand. the population threshold will not apply to some third countries. “Unfortunately, there are countries where the test strategy and the data provided cannot be trusted, because those studies are very, very small or not published at all. It would be clear for such a country, of course, that that indicator would not apply, “reported A. Veryga.
Lithuania also now has a rule that returnees from countries that have exceeded the 25 threshold have 24 hours. take the COVID-19 test. Foreigners from such countries must obtain a negative test result before travel. Veryga said there has been no discussion so far on whether to change this procedure.
Latvian Prime Minister criticizes Lithuania
In Lithuania and Estonia, the recent increase in the number of people infected with coronavirus has also caused disagreements among the three Baltic states. Latvians are in favor of stricter controls, do not want to raise the red line and have threatened not to grant exemptions to Latvians or Estonians. Last week they However, only at the last minute did they agree to make concessions to Lithuania and Estonia..
Lithuania does not cross Latvia’s red border this week, so Lithuanians will also be able to travel freely to this neighboring country next week.
However, Latvian Prime Minister Krišjanis Military criticized Lithuania’s decision to raise the indicator at a press conference on Friday. He said that if the Latvian government did the same, “it would send a message to their society that Latvians should start getting sicker.”
K. Karinis stated that if the Latvian government also raised the limit, “it would send a message to their society that Latvians should start getting sicker.”
K. Karinis explained that the Latvian Cabinet of Ministers listens to the recommendations of the experts, making the incidence of COVID-19 in Latvia one of the lowest in the world. According to the Latvian prime minister, if experts propose to change the red sign, he would listen to it, but there are no such proposals, writes LETA.
He was skeptical about the possibility of following in the lead of Lithuania and Estonia and raising the red border of the affected countries to 25 cases per 100,000. population. “It is a solution that I am not prepared for unless there are other restrictive measures in place. I do not think that society is willing to allow more people to come to Latvia, when this would deprive us of our freedom of action,” said K. Karinis.
In Estonia, the limit is also raised
Estonia has also raised the mandatory self-isolation threshold for travelers from Finland and the Baltic countries from 16 to 25 cases per 100,000 inhabitants, while Latvia maintains the previously agreed limit of 16 cases per 100,000 inhabitants, the portal reported on Thursday. ERR news from Estonian public broadcaster.
Estonian Foreign Minister Urmas Reinsalu wrote on social media that Estonia this week proposed to Finland, Latvia and Lithuania to increase the morbidity threshold at which free movement is possible to 25 cases per 100,000 inhabitants.
Lithuania, like Finland, accepted the proposal and raises its limit to 25 cases per 100,000 inhabitants. Latvia has maintained the previous limit.
“Estonia will set a new threshold of 25 for travelers from Finland, Latvia and Lithuania, as trust measures have been established with these countries,” said Reinsalu, whose words are quoted on the ERR portal in English.
“Given the number of coronavirus infections in Estonia, … travelers from Estonia to Latvia, with the exception of Valga residents, transit travelers and employees, will likely have to be quarantined,” added the minister. Of Foreign Affairs.
123rf.com nuotr./Estija
“Currently, free movement to travel to Finland, Lithuania and Latvia will be maintained. We thank the governments of Lithuania and Finland for their decision in a situation where the morbidity rate in Estonia is higher than in other countries,” he said. Reinsalu.
New control for travelers
R.Veryga admitted on Friday that not in all cases travelers act responsibly. “The filling and sending of data is rejected. Naturally, then it is difficult to guarantee the supervision of the self-isolation,” said the Minister.
Therefore, it has been decided to oblige all carriers to ensure that persons of any kind arriving in Lithuania will now have to send their personal data to the specialists of the National Public Health Center (NVSC) electronically. It is power for travelers by plane, bus, ferry and other vehicles.
It will be possible to check if there is an attempt to deceive in some way, – explained A.Veryga.
This means that before boarding a plane, ferry, bus or train, a person will have to fill out a form on the NVSC website and present the confirmation received, the so-called QR code, at the time of boarding the vehicle.
“After reading it, it will be possible to verify if it really is the person who got into the vehicle, and it will be possible to verify if there is any attempt to deceive in any way”, explained A. Veryga. According to him, this will allow more effective and precise control of those people who must be in self-isolation.
Read more about it here: All travelers must submit their details to the NVSC electronically
The three Baltic countries, which created a travel bubble in the spring, agreed to harmonize the criteria for including countries in the lists of affected countries, that is, those for which self-isolation is required.
“We have to follow common criteria if we want to maintain the Baltic bubble, it is very important,” Prime Minister Saulius Skvernelis said this week, but warned that “if Latvia’s decisions are different, we will also take the next steps.”
The Prime Minister said that this could be the exclusion of individual territories (eg islands) from the lists of affected countries; this is requested by the tourism business, but Latvia opposes such separation of regions.
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