Today, on 9 June, the Cabinet of Ministers decided to increase the number of visitors allowed to simultaneously participate in cultural events, stipulating that the total number of visitors attending a cultural event in the period from 10 to 30 June may not exceed 100 for indoor events and 300 for outdoor events.
Several mandatory conditions have been set both for the course of cultural events and the operation of cultural institutions and exhibition halls: the observance of a 2 metre distance between persons, ensuring an area of 4 m² per person (not exceeding 50% of the room capacity); the online purchasing of tickets (if such possibility is provided); the availability of disinfectants for ensuring proper hand and surface hygiene at the event venues, cultural institutions, and exhibition halls.
With the entering into force of the Cabinet of Ministers Regulations on “Epidemiological Safety Measures for Limiting the Spread of the Covid-19 Virus”, which were suggested by the Ministry of Health and approved today at the government meeting, the order that regulated social and physical distancing measures for culture institutions and requirements for event venue disinfection (so-called sanitary protocol) previously issued by the Minister of Culture is no longer in force. However, the Ministry of Culture calls on cultural institutions and cultural event venues to continue to use this protocol as a guideline for organising events and the operation of their institution.
The Ministry of Culture continues to recommend the creation of physical barriers between persons in cultural event venues (cultural centres, concert halls, exhibition halls, theatres, cinemas, etc.) or the use of mouth and nose coverings if it is not possible to keep a 2 metre distance between persons and if their contact time is longer than 15 minutes.
In the period from 10 to 30 June, it is still recommended to only attend drive-in cinemas and drive-in concerts in the same car by oneself or with members of one household; a distance of 2 metres must be observed between cars; it is recommended for the visitors to only get out of the car in order to use the sanitary facilities and to only open the windows of the car for ventilation or to receive food/drinks delivered by the event organiser and purchased online. Drive-in cinemas and drive-in concerts are allowed to take place from 06:30 to 02:00.
When visiting museums, people are invited to book their visit in advance or buy the tickets online (if the particular museum offers such an opportunity), to keep a distance of 2 metres from other visitors, and to use the hand hygiene facilities offered by the museum. Each museum decides individually on the services provided for group visits and the possibilities to use the technical aids available at the museum’s expositions (digital expositions, audio guides, etc.) The maximum number of visitors and their flow in the museum is determined and organised by each museum individually.
People are advised to reserve collection items before visiting a library, to keep a distance of 2 metres from other visitors at the library, and to use the opportunities provided by the library to observe proper hand hygiene. Each library decides individually on the services it provides, for example, issuing books, using computers, staying in reading rooms, etc.
From 10 June, if it is objectively necessary for the participants to be closer to each other, members of theatre, orchestra, dance, and ballet organisations, as well as organised amateur art groups (actors, ballet artists, and dancers) may forgo observation of the 2 metre distance during rehearsals and performances both indoors and outdoors.
More information:
Lita Kokale,
Head of the Public Relations Department of the Ministry of Culture
+371 67330343, +371 26469946
Lita.Kokale@km.gov.lv