In view of the epidemiological situation and in order to minimize the risk of further spread of Covid-19 among Latvian residents, the government has adopted new precautionary measures to ensure and control social-distancing.
The government has stipulated that only food shops, pharmacies, including pet pharmacies, opticians, pet food, hygiene and household stores, building and garden supply stores will be open in the shopping centres on weekends and holidays.
The range of health care services will be reduced in order to protect Latvian residents from the potential risk of Covid-19. The life-saving healthcare services and other services that are crucial for treatment continuity will be maintained.
The healthcare professionals will be deprived of the opportunity to render their services at several healthcare institutions. This action aims to minimize the risk that an infected healthcare professional enters another medical institution, while performing work duties, thereby endangering patients and other healthcare professionals. Experience in other countries has shown that medical practitioners are at Covid-19 high-risk group due to direct contact with patients, while both colleagues and hospital patients may be infected and suffer from a severe form of Covid-19.
The activities of sports clubs and the sports vocational and interest-related education programs - trainings, competitions and rehearsals, as well as sports activities in premises, have been interrupted.
The Ministry of Health together with representatives of respective sectors will adopt a plan of measures to ensure social-distancing of the respective service providers at tattoo studios, piercing studios and beauty salons. Providers of tattooing, piercing and beauty services will have to collect the following data for epidemiological monitoring purposes: name, surname and phone number of a client.
The Ministry of Transport will develop a plan of measures to limit the number of passengers in public transport while ensuring both the social-distancing and the opportunity to travel to work.
In order the State Police could control more effectively the violations related to mandatory self-isolation, the State Border Guard will further transmit information regarding certificates completed by repatriates to the State Police.
The companies will first need to ensure the supply of food, medicines and essential goods, as well as the supply of raw materials necessary for the production of these goods for the domestic market.
It has been determined that the National Electronic Mass Media Council, by taking the relevant decision, may release news, factual and information programs created by public broadcast media to other electronic media without charge, as well as decide on the termination of their use if the electronic mass media does not comply with the decision of the National Electronic Mass Media Council.
Full text of the Amendments of 25 March to the Order of the Cabinet of Ministers No. 103 “Regarding the Declaration of Emergency Situation” of 12 March 2020 are available at: http://www.mk.gov.lv/lv/aktualitates/par-arkartejas-situacijas-izsludinasanu