Due to the increase in the incidence of Covid-19, self-isolation will have to be observed when entering Latvia from Estonia. This regulation takes effect from 00:00 on 12 September.
The Ministry of Health reminds you about the special conditions previously approved by the Cabinet of Ministers for residents of border areas who cross the Latvian-Estonian border on a daily basis for work or study purposes.
These persons will be allowed to continue to freely go to Estonia on a daily basis, as well as return to Latvia in the following cases:
to perform work duties in Estonia (if a document certifying the fact of employment can be presented); to receive child supervision services or to attend a pre-school educational institution (if a certificate issued by the service provider or the educational institution can be presented); to visit educational institutions, as well as interest education groups (if a statement issued by the educational institution can be presented); to accompany persons with special needs to an educational institution, such as schools and kindergartens, as well as interest education (if a certificate issued to the person by the institution can be presented); to receive healthcare services prescribed by a doctor that are not available in the territory of Latvia.Persons will also be able to cross the state border if it is necessary to organise or attend a funeral.
In turn, when returning to Latvia, for example, in the evening after performing work duties in Estonia, these persons should observe the following additional security principles:
avoid exposing others to the risk of infection, which means not hosting guests, arranging and attending private meetings, visiting social and public places and crowded places. Exceptions are, for example, the workplace or situations related to the above-mentioned cases for crossing the border; when performing work duties or providing a service, the prescribed precautions should be observed; mouth and nose covers should be used when staying in public places; if any signs of respiratory infection develop, self-isolation should be provided immediately and a physician should be consulted.
Regarding residents of the Valka and Valga cities
Special regulations apply to the residents of the Valka and Valga border towns. In order not to significantly disrupt the daily lives of Valka and Valga residents from receiving daily services, as well as not to restrict business in the territory of these cities, the Cabinet of Ministers has decided that inhabitants of the Valka and Valga municipalities will be allowed to ignore self-isolation if they cross the land border of the Republic of Latvia with the Republic of Estonia. The special regulations apply to persons declared as residents of this territory. However, when arriving to Valka from another region of Estonia, such as Tallinn, self-isolation is obligatory.
*Amendments to Cabinet Regulation No. 360 of 9 June 2020 “Epidemiological Safety Measures for the Containment of the Spread of Covid-19 Infection”