The safety measures, extended by the government until 25 January, have the same aim of ensuring that each of us meets as few other people as possible outside our own household. With Covid-19 continuing to spread across Latvia, it is not yet possible to reduce caution.
Today, on 7 January, the government decided to make amendments to Cabinet of Ministers Order No. 655 “Regarding Declaration of the Emergency Situation”, extending the current safety measures until 25 January. In addition, some other changes were made, such as the winter holidays for pupils in years 1-4 were extended until 22 January. Moreover, a curfew from 22.00 to 5.00 must be observed on the nights from Friday to Saturday and from Saturday to Sunday. This requirement will be in force until 25 January.
What safety measures will remain in place until 25 January, in order to reduce the number of possible contacts?
In education:
- Winter holidays will be extended until 22 January for pupils in years 1-4.
- Pupils in years 5-12 will study remotely from 11 January.
- Clinical internships for residency students and practical classes for year 6 medical students to provide support to hospitals may take place in person.
- Special educational institutions and nurseries will operate in person.
- Other practical classes (also individual) will only be possible remotely. Also in professional and higher education, various courses, etc. classes may only take place remotely.
- Interest-related education and various rehearsals may only take place remotely.
In sports:
- As before, amateur sports training will only be allowed outdoors (up to 10 people without the use of changing rooms). This means that sports clubs will not accept clients indoors - the gyms will not work, and people will not be able to go to the club to train individually.
In culture:
- Exhibition sites and other cultural venues will not be working, and it will not be allowed to organise any fairs.
- Libraries will be allowed to lend books.
- Indoor premises of museums will be closed for visitors; however, the open-air areas of museums will continue to operate, subject to ensuring the one-way movement of people, preventing collisions of human flows, and ensuring a distance of at least 2 metres between people. Nature trails will also be allowed to operate under such conditions.
Services:
- The entire beauty industry (including hairdressers) will not be working.
- Sports equipment rental services may only be provided outdoors.
- Photo shoots and photo services other than for document photos will not take place.
- There will be no drive hunting.
These services have been limited after evaluating several aspects: whether the service takes longer than 15 minutes (including the time in the waiting room), whether there is direct human contact during the provision of the service, whether it is possible to use a face mask (e.g. not used at the beautician and during photo shoots) and putting the main emphasis on the criterion of whether a person can do without this service for some time. The goal is to reduce the number of people we meet on a daily basis.
In sales:
The current trade regime will be extended until 25 January. In addition, the government has decided to extend the list of goods available for sale by including goods that are especially needed during winter. Subsequently, until 25 January only the following types of points of sale will be open:
- pharmacies (including veterinary pharmacies);
- optical goods stores;
- fuel stations;
- points of sale where the following groups of goods may be sold:
- groceries;
- hygiene products;
- essential household goods;
- mobile phone prepaid cards;
- tobacco products, herbal smoking products, electronic smoking devices and their liquids;
- animal feed and goods;
- press publications;
- public transport tickets;
- mouth and nose coverings and individual protective equipment;
- artisanal agricultural products;
- flowers.
A detailed list of goods allowed for sale is available here: https://www.vm.gov.lv/lv/jaunums/lidz-25-janvarim-pagarina-drosibas-pasakumus-covid-19-ierobezosanai
Please note that the online sale of goods is not restricted.
As before, points of sale will have to comply with strict requirements: at least 15 m2 of the available space must be provided for one visitor (excluding the area occupied by shelves, equipment, etc.), the number of visitors must not exceed the number of available trolleys/carts, and visitors must attend the store alone (it is allowed to bring children under the age of 12 with you).
At work:
- As before, anyone who can work remotely from home must do so. It is the employer's responsibility to provide this option. These conditions apply to both public administration and local government institutions, as well as private companies. This means that salespeople, drivers, stackers, police officers, firefighters, security guards, radio and television announcers and operators, doctors, and others, but not, for example, office workers, will work in person.
In addition, the order clarifies that during the state of emergency, minor children have the right to meet their parents who live elsewhere.
The government has agreed that a curfew from 22.00 to 5.00 must be observed on the nights from Friday to Saturday and from Saturday to Sunday. During these hours, people may only be out of their household for urgent reasons, such as going to work or a medical institution. It is mandatory to fill in the self-certification form, indicating your personal data and the reason for your movement. You must have a passport or an ID card with you. This requirement will be in force until 25 January.
The full text of the order will be publicly available after its publication in the official gazette “Latvijas Vēstnesis”.