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Find out what safety measures are in place from 7 April!
Republic of Latvia
Cabinet
Order No. 655
Adopted 6 November 202
Regarding Declaration of the Emergency Situation
Taking into consideration the rapid spread of COVID-19 infection and the increasing risk of overloading the health sector, and also on the basis of Section 4, Paragraph one, Clause 1, Sub-clause “e” of the Civil Protection and Disaster Management Law, Section 4, Section 5, Paragraph one, and Section 6, Paragraph one, Clause 1 and Paragraph two, Section 7, Clause 1, and Section 8 of the law On Emergency Situation and State of Exception, Section 3, Paragraph two of the Epidemiological Safety Law, and also in order to reduce a repeated spread of COVID-19 infection in Latvia to a controlled threshold, concurrently ensuring the continuity of important State functions and services:
1. Throughout the State territory, the emergency situation shall be declared from 9 November 2020 until 6 April 2021.
[2 December 2020; 30 December 2020; 5 February 2021]
2. The Crisis Management Council and the Ministry of Health shall be the responsible authorities for the coordination of activities during the emergency situation.
3. The laws and regulations for the suppression of the spread and consequences of COVID-19 infection shall be applicable during the emergency situation, except for Sub-paragraphs 6.3.3, 6.7.1 and 6.11, Paragraphs 11, 12, 14, 14.1, 15, 16, 16.1, 16.2, 16.3, 16.5, 16.6, 17, 17.1, 19, 21, 21.1, 22, 23, 24 and 26.1, Sub-paragraphs 27.1.1, 27.1.4 and 27.2.5, Paragraphs 27.5, 28, 29, 29.1, 31, 31.1, 32, 32.1, 32.5 and 32.6, Sub-paragraphs 37.11 and 37.11.1, Paragraphs 60.1, 60.2 and 60.3, as well as Chapter XI of Cabinet Regulation No. 360 of 9 June 2020, Epidemiological Safety Measures for the Containment of the Spread of COVID-19 Infection.
[2 December 2020; 21 January 2021]
4. The terms used in this Order correspond to the terms used in the laws and regulations regarding the suppression of the spread and consequences of COVID-19 infection.
5. During the emergency situation:
5.1. any public events on site, including fireworks, shall be cancelled and prohibited;
[30 December 2020]
5.1.1 from 29 January 2021 until 31 January 2021 and from 5 February 2021 until 7 February 2021, movement of citizens shall be prohibited between 22.00 and 5.00, imposing an obligations on citizens to stay at their places of residence, including to reduce direct contacts with other people – not to welcome guests, not to go on private visits, etc. (the movement prohibition shall end respectively at 5.00 on 31 January 2021 and at 5.00 on 7 February 2021). Upon presenting a filled in certification and personal identification document (identity card or passport), the movement prohibition shall not be applicable:
5.1.1 1. to persons who are going to their place of employment or service or are coming back therefrom or are performing their service duties;
5.1.1 2. to movements necessary for the receipt of medical treatment services or veterinary medical care of animals, or visiting a day-and-night pharmacy;
[30 December 2020; 7 January 2021; 21 January 2021 / New wording of the introductory paragraph shall come into force on 26 January 2021. See the introductory part of Paragraph 1.2 of Amendments]
5.1.2 in the case referred to in Sub-paragraph 5.1.11 of this Order, a person shall indicate their name, surname, personal identity number, address of the place of residence, reason and time for leaving the place of residence, name and address of the place of employment, telephone number of a manager (contact person) in the certification;
[30 December 2020]
5.1.3 in the case referred to in Sub-paragraph 5.1.12 of this Order, a person shall indicate their name, surname, personal identity number, address of the place of residence, reason and time for leaving the place of residence, and also place where the service is to be received;
[30 December 2020]
5.1.4 in the dates referred to in Sub-paragraph 5.1.1 of this Order, the sites where trading services are provided, sites where services to citizens are provided in person, and sites where catering services are provided shall end their work not later than at 21.00 Working times of service stations, day-and-night pharmacies, the public caterers and sites where trading services and services are provided that are operating in the terminals of valsts akciju sabiedrība “Starptautiskā lidosta “Rīga”” [State joint stock company International Airport Riga], and also the times for the provision of public transportation and passenger carriage services, emergency services and emergency utility services shall not be restricted;
[14 January 2021]
5.1.5 in the dates referred to in Sub-paragraph 5.1.1 of this Order and within the specified time period, the taxi service may be used by a person to go to work or to return thereform, to return to the place of residence, to go to a day-and-night pharmacy, medical treatment institution or veterinary medical care institution or to return therefrom, and only one passenger or a passenger together with a minor child or person requiring the help of an assistant or objectively having difficulties due to age or functional disorders may be in the taxi;
[30 December 2020]
5.2. beauty treatment services (except for hairdresser, manicure, pedicure and podologist services), lease of sporting equipment indoors and photographic activities on site (except for producing photographs for documents and individual photographic activities outdoors (one photographer, one client, maintaining the two-meter distance)), and also economic services on site which are related to entertainment and well-being (including in bars, nightclubs, discotheques, aquaparks, bathhouses, SPAs, skating-rinks (indoors), gaming halls, sites for organising children’s parties, entertainment and amusement centres, trampoline parks, tube sliding sites, children’s playrooms, day-care rooms (also in the shopping centres)) shall be prohibited. The abovementioned prohibition shall not apply to recreation on nature trails if one-way flow and maintenance of two-meter distance is ensured there;
[24 February 2021 / New wording of the Sub-paragraph shall come into force on 1 March 2021. See the introductory part of Sub-paragraph 1.1 of Amendments]
5.2.1 beating hunts shall be prohibited;
[21 January 2021 / New wording of the Sub-paragraph shall come into force on 26 January 2021. See the introductory part of Sub-paragraph 1.2 of Amendments]
5.2.2 the providers of hairdresser, manicure, pedicure and podologist services shall comply with the requirements of Chapter II2 of Cabinet Regulation No. 360 of 9 June 2020, Epidemiological Safety Measures for the Containment of the Spread of COVID-19 Infection;
[24 February 2021 / The Sub-paragraph shall come into force on 1 March 2021. See the introductory part of Sub-paragraph 1.1 of Amendments]
5.3. [21 January 2021. See the introductory part of Sub-paragraph 1.2 of Amendments]
5.4. private events and private gatherings shall be prohibited, except for events within one household. If care needs to be provided to a person or a person lives alone in the household, visitations are allowed but only within the scope of not more than two households. When funeral services or christening ceremonies are held in urgent cases, simultaneous gathering of up to 10 people is allowed (excluding persons directly linked to holding the funeral service or christening) but from not more than two households, and it must be specified that mouth and nose covers must be used during the gathering. Meetings between minor children and their parents shall also be permissible if the children and parents are not members of one household, except when the child, any of the parents or members of the parent’s household must comply with the isolation, home quarantine or self-isolation requirements;
[7 January 2021; 24 February 2021 / Amendment to the Amendment to the Sub-paragraph regarding deletion of the word “outdoor” shall come into force on 1 March 2021. See the introductory part of Paragraph 1.1 of Amendments]
5.5. museums in outdoor spaces, outdoor sites where sports trainings (sessions) take place and sites where religious activities are performed shall start work not earlier than at 6.00 and end work not later than at 20.00, except for the sporting events referred to in Sub-paragraphs 5.16.1 and 5.16.2 of this Order;
[21 January 2021 / New wording of the Sub-paragraph shall come into force on 26 January 2021. See the introductory part of Sub-paragraph 1.2 of Amendments]
5.5.1 the operation of cultural sites and exhibition sites, and also activities related to the organising of street sale (including fairs), except for lending books from libraries and the open-air territories of museums, shall be discontinued. Organised rehearsals of professional performers may take place at cultural sites between 6.00 and 22.00;
[21 January 2021 / New wording of the Sub-paragraph shall come into force on 26 January 2021. See the introductory part of Sub-paragraph 1.2 of Amendments]
5.5.2 on 25 February 2021, sites where religious activities are performed must end work until 22.00;
[19 February 2021]
5.6. public catering facilities may only provide only take-away meals (except for manufacturing enterprises where this cannot be done under the condition that the relevant catering facility is not publicly available and prevention of physical overlapping of the flows of groups of people which are not in everyday contact is ensured, one table is occupied only by one person during meals and the tables are places at a two-metre distance from one another);
[17 December 2020]
5.7. retail trade services on site may only be provided by:
5.7.1. pharmacies (including veterinary pharmacies);
5.7.2. optical goods shops;
5.7.3. service stations;
5.7.3.1 bookshops;
5.7.3.2 shops where food is sold in an amount of at least 70 % of the goods assortment;
5.7.3.3 shops where hygiene products are sold in an amount of at least 70 % of the goods assortment;
5.7.4. trading sites where the following groups of goods may be sold:
5.7.4.1. foodstuffs;
5.7.4.2. hygiene products;
5.7.4.3. basic necessity household goods;
5.7.4.4. prepaid cards for mobile phones;
5.7.4.5. tobacco products, herbal products for smoking, electronic smoking devices and their liquids;
5.7.4.6. animal feed and products;
5.7.4.7. periodicals;
5.7.4.8. public transportation tickets;
5.7.4.9. mouth and nose covers and personal protective equipment;
5.7.4.10. agricultural products of home producers;
5.7.4.11. flowers;
5.7.4.12. plants, seedlings, bulbs, tubers and seeds;
5.7.4.13. substrates, fertilisers, liming materials and plant-protection products;
5.7.4.14. accessories of electronic appliances (cables, extension cables, chargers);
5.7.4.15. disinsectisation and deratisation products;
[21 January 2021; 5 February 2021/ Sub-paragraphs 5.7.3.1, 5.7.3.2, 5.7.3.3, 5.7.4.12, 5.7.4.13, 5.7.4.14 and 5.7.4.15 shall come into force on 8 February 2021. See the introductory part of Paragraph 1.2 of Amendments]
5.7.1 the restrictions laid down in Sub-paragraph 5.7 of this Order shall not apply to trade of goods using means of distance communication, and also distribution of the goods at a place of trading if the good have been bought using means of distance communication;
[21 January 2021 / New wording of the Sub-paragraph shall come into force on 26 January 2021. See the introductory part of Sub-paragraph 1.2 of Amendments]
5.7.2 [5 February 2021. See the introductory part of Sub-paragraph 1.2 of Amendments]
5.7.3 [5 February 2021. See the introductory part of Sub-paragraph 1.2 of Amendments]
5.7.4 [5 February 2021. See the introductory part of Sub-paragraph 1.2 of Amendments]
5.7.5 the restrictions laid down in Sub-paragraph 5.7 of this Order shall not apply to the permanent points of sale established by the merchant in prisons (prison shops). The rights of prisoners to make purchases in the prison shop laid down by laws and regulations shall be ensured in conformity with the prison infrastructure and the epidemiological safety requirements specified for prisons;
[22 December 2020; 5 February 2021 / Amendment to the Sub-paragraph shall come into force on 8 February 2021. See the introductory part of Paragraph 1.2 of Amendments]
5.8. the restrictions specified in Sub-paragraphs 5.6 and 5.7 of this Order for the providers of public catering services, and also for the sites where catering is provided, and for sales points shall not be applicable to the terminal of valsts akciju sabiedrība “Starptautiskā lidosta “Rīga”” [State joint stock company International Airport Riga], and also to public catering sites in educational institutions if they are not available to the public and prevention of physical overlapping of the flows of groups of people which are not in everyday contact is ensured. The providers of public catering services shall comply with the requirements of Paragraph 20 of Cabinet Regulation No. 360 of 9 June 2020, Epidemiological Safety Measures for the Containment of the Spread of COVID-19 Infection;
[17 November 2020; 2 December 2020]
5.9. [5 February 2021. See the introductory part of Sub-paragraph 1.2 of Amendments]
5.9.1 for the violation of the epidemiological safety requirements in the provision of economic services if an internal control system for the control of epidemiological safety measures at a trading site (unit) has not been developed or introduced, the State Police and municipal police may, in accordance with the procedures laid down in the Administrative Procedure Law, take a written decision to close the trading site (unit) to visitors for up to seven days. The decision of the State Police or municipal police shall come into force at the moment of its taking and must be enforced immediately. Contesting or appeal of the decision shall not suspend its validity;
[5 February 2021 / The Sub-paragraph shall come into force on 8 February 2021. See the introductory part of Sub-paragraph 1.2 of Amendments]
5.10. at libraries, outdoors spaces of museums and sites where religious activities are performed:
5.10.1. at least 10 m2 of the publicly available area of premises are provided per visitor;
5.10.2. information, including in foreign languages, on the maximum number of persons allowed at this site at the same time is placed at the entrance in a clearly visible place;
[21 January 2021 / New wording of the Sub-paragraph shall come into force on 26 January 2021. See the introductory part of Sub-paragraph 1.2 of Amendments]
5.11. in addition to the conditions referred to in Sub-paragraph 5.10 of this Order, the following shall be ensured at libraries, outdoor spaces of museums (when not organising an event):
5.11.1. not more than 20 % of the total possible number of persons allowed by the area and infrastructure of the premises available to visitors are present at the relevant site at the same time;
5.11.2. visitors only arrive individually, except for members of one household;
5.11.3. only one-way flow of visitors is ensured;
[21 January 2021 / New wording of the Sub-paragraph shall come into force on 26 January 2021. See the introductory part of Sub-paragraph 1.2 of Amendments]
5.11.1 mouth and nose covers shall be used in outdoor spaces of museums, nature trails and at environmental and nature objects when there is an intensive flow of people;
[22 December 2020]
5.12. in addition to the conditions referred to in Sub-paragraph 5.10 of this Order, the following shall be ensured at sites where religious activities are performed (if an event is not organised):
5.12.1. not more than 20 % of the total possible number of persons allowed by the area and infrastructure of the premises available to visitors are present at the relevant site at the same time;
5.12.2. Sunday school lessons are be held remotely;
[21 January 2021 / New wording of the Sub-paragraph shall come into force on 26 January 2021. See the introductory part of Sub-paragraph 1.2 of Amendments]
5.13. in the field of education:
5.13.1. the provision of child supervision services shall be continued;
5.13.2. the learning process on site shall be discontinued in all educational institutions and the learning shall be ensured remotely, except for:
5.13.2.1. the completion of pre-school education programme if the legal representative of the child cannot work remotely and cannot ensure supervision of the child. Learning process shall be implemented by performing weekly testing of the employees of the educational institution who are employed on site and ensuring that the employees of the educational institution comply with the epidemiological safety requirements and use mouth and nose covers during the learning process and outside of it. The persons referred to in Sub-paragraph 5.44 of this Order need not use the mouth and nose cover;
5.13.2.2. [21 January 2021. See the introductory part of Sub-paragraph 1.3 of Amendments];
5.13.2.3. the individual completion of the practical part of vocational education programmes which is required for obtaining professional skills or qualifications in the first half of 2021 and which cannot be carried out remotely, and during which the two-meter distance can be maintained and contact with other educatees can be prevented;
5.13.2.4. the individual completion of the practical part of higher education programmes which is required for obtaining professional skills or qualifications from the first until the third quarter of 2021 and which cannot be carried out remotely, and during which the two-meter distance can be maintained and contact with other educatees or students can be prevented; completion of the practical part of the second level vocational education study programme Veterinary Medicine at the Latvia University of Life Sciences and Technologies, the sixth year of the second level higher vocational education study programme Medicine and Treatment of the health care study direction, fifth year of the study programme Dentistry, fourth year of the study programmes Physiotherapy, Ergotherapy, Nursing, Midwife and Radiography, third year of the first level higher vocational education programme Nursing with the qualification nurse and Treatment with the qualification doctor’s assistant, second year of the study programme Treatment with the qualification doctor’s assistant, doctor’s assistant in the outpatient care or doctor’s assistant in emergency medical assistance.third year of the study programme Radiologist’s Assistant and Biomedical Laboratory Assistant, and the completion of the practical part of the the vocational education programme Nursing with the qualification nursing assistant which is required for obtaining professional skills or qualifications and which cannot be carried out remotely, and also the clinical training during residency;
5.13.2.5. the completion of a programme at the educational institution for social correction Naukšēni, in special educational institutions and such special education classes of educational institutions in which special basic education programme is implemented for pupils with severe mental disorders or several severe mental disorders, and also to pupils with mental disorders of special basic education programmes;
5.13.2.6. foreign language examinations of an international testing authority, ensuring that a group of no more than five persons participate in the examination on site within the same premises; During the examination and outside of it, all persons present shall use mouth and nose covers and shall maintain the two-meter distance. The persons referred to in Sub-paragraph 5.44 of this Order need not use the mouth and nose cover;
5.13.2.7. individual consultations – to educatees who are subject to the risk of early school leaving at the basic education and secondary education level, in the acquisition of general education programmes for educatees in grade 12 (including the completion of an international educational programme for the relevant grades in the corresponding age group) and vocational education programmes for the educatees of those groups or courses who a supposed to take State examinations and acquire the corresponding vocational education (at the basic education and secondary education levels) in the first half of 2021. Consultations on site shall take place only upon an invitation of a teacher in accordance with the procedures specified in the educational institution (including, by specifying the number of consultations, complying with the applicable legal framework) ensuring that educatees do not come into contact with other educatees (including when arriving at the educational institution for a consultation and leaving it). A consultation may not be longer than 40 minutes. During the consultation the teacher and educatee shall use mouth and nose covers and maintain two-meter distance. The persons referred to in Sub-paragraph 5.44 of this Order need not use the mouth and nose cover;
5.13.2.7.1 the individual consultations referred to in Sub-paragraph 5.13.2.7 of this Order shall also apply to educational institutions which implement vocational orientation education programme in the thematic area “Arts” and the educatees of whose grades and groups are expected to take final examinations in the first half of 2021;
5.13.2.1 for grades 1-4, learning process may be organised on site by ensuring the epidemiological safety requirements and performing weekly testing of the employees of the educational institution who are employed on site if on Tuesday of the current calendar week the 14 day cumulative number of COVID-19 cases per 100 000 inhabitants within the administrative territory of the particular city or municipality where the education institution is located does not exceed 200 and the epidemiological conditions indicate to a safer situation in the administrative territory. Once a week, on Thursdays, the Centre for Disease Prevention and Control shall publish in the official gazette Latvijas Vēstnesis the list of those cities and municipalities where, according to the information posted on Wednesday on the website of the Centre for Disease Prevention and Control, the 14 day cumulative morbidity rate corresponds to such level that allows the learning to be organised on site for grades 1-4. In individual cases, taking into account the epidemiological conditions which minimise the risks of the spread of COVID-19, learning process for grades 1-4 may be organised on site also if the 14 day cumulative number of COVID-19 cases per 100 000 inhabitants exceeds 200, but is less than:
5.13.2.1 1. 220 - by deciding on the recommencing of the learning on site in the particular administrative territory;
5.13.2.1 2. 250 - by deciding on continuing the learning on site in the particular administrative territory. The evaluation of the situation is based on several epidemiological criteria, including the geographical distribution of the newly discovered COVID-19 cases, their link to particular institutions, undertakings, households, events, etc., concurrently assessing them in relation to a potential impact on the organisation of educational process;
5.13.2.2 in order to fulfil Sub-paragraph 5.13.2.1 of the Order, the founder of an educational institution shall, to the extent possible, implement all the necessary epidemiological safety measures to provide a possibility for the educatees to get to the educational institution in a way that is safe for health;
5.13.2.3 if the conditions referred to in Sub-paragraph 5.13.2.1 of this Order have been met, the founder of an educational institution shall decide on the implementation of the learning process on site at the relevant educational institution within the specific calendar week and shall inform the council of the educational institution, educatees of the educational institution and their legal representatives, and also the Ministry of Education and Science thereof. The learning process shall be implemented on site starting from Monday of the following week after taking of the relevant decision;
5.13.2.4 [16 March 2021. See the introductory part of Paragraph 1 of Amendments];
5.13.2.5 educational institutions in the following local governments shall recommence learning process on site as of 22 February 2021 complying with the requirements laid down in Sub-paragraphs 5.13.2.2 and 5.13.2.3 of this Order: Alsunga municipality, Auce municipality, Cesvaine municipality, Burtnieki municipality, Dagda municipality, Durbe municipality, Ērgļi municipality, Krustpils municipality, Kuldīga municipality, Ķegums municipality, Mālpils municipality, Mērsrags municipality, Naukšēni municipality, Nereta municipality, Pāvilosta municipality, Pļaviņi municipality, Rūjiena municipality, Salacgrīva municipality, Saulkrasti municipality, Sigulda municipality, Skrīveri municipality, Skrunda municipality, Tērvete municipality, Vecumnieki municipality, and Vecpiebalga municipality;
5.13.2.6 the Ministry of Education and Science shall ensure exchange of data with the Central Statistical Bureau. The Ministry of Education and Science shall transfer information to the Central Statistical Bureau on the location, teachers, and pupils of educational institutions in order to obtain the data necessary for the evaluation of additional criteria of COVID-19 cases in relation to a potential impact on the organisation of educational process and the appropriate protection measures;
5.13.2.7 lessons of formal and non-formal education programmes may be organised in outdoor spaces for educatees of one class (group, course) (for not more than 20 persons) at the basic education or secondary education level, if on Tuesday of the current calendar week the 14 day cumulative number of COVID-19 cases per 100 000 inhabitants within the administrative territory of the particular city or municipality where the education institution is located does not exceed 250, ensuring the epidemiological safety requirement. Once a week, on Thursday, the Centre for Disease Prevention and Control shall publish in the official gazette Latvijas Vēstnesis the list of those cities and municipalities where, according to the information posted on Wednesday on the website of the Centre for Disease Prevention and Control, the 14 day cumulative morbidity rate corresponds to such level that allows the lessons to be organised in outdoor spaces. The following may be organised in outdoor spaces:
5.13.2.7 1. not more than five lessons of the formal education programme from the number of lessons intended in the respective week;
5.13.2.7 2. not more than two lessons of the non-formal education programme from the number of lessons intended in the respective week. The duration of one lesson shall not exceed 40 minutes;
5.13.2.8 the restrictions specified in Sub-paragraph 5.13.2.7 of this Order shall not apply to holding of the sports trainings (sessions) referred to in Sub-paragraph 5.17;
5.13.3. the completion of adult continuous vocational training, vocational in-service training and non-formal adult education programmes shall be held remotely, except for:
5.13.3.1. the practical and clinical training within the non-formal education programme “Updating the professional skills of nurses for the provision of health care services in the situation resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic” organised under the European Social Fund (ESF) project No. 9.2.6.0/17/I/001 “Improvement of the qualification of medical and medical support practitioners” co-funded from the Specific Objective 9.2.6 “Improve qualification of medical and medical support practitioners” of the Operational Programme “Growth and Development” by ensuring that the practical and clinical training on site is simultaneously held only for a group of participants from one educational institution, and also maintaining of the two-meter distance and use of mouth and nose covers during the training;
5.13.3.2. practical and clinical training and vocational education examinations for the renewal of the registration period of a medical practitioner in the Register of Medical Practitioners and Medical Treatment Support Personnel by ensuring that the practical and clinical training on site is simultaneously held only for a group of participants from one educational institution, and also maintaining of the two-meter distance and use of mouth and nose covers during the training and vocational education examination;
5.13.3.3. certification examination for a medical practitioner by ensuring that one applicant and at least one member of the certification committee or secretary participates on site, and also maintaining of the two-meter distance and use of mouth and nose covers. Other members of the committee shall be provided with a remote access to the examination;
5.13.3.4. practical and clinical training for the completion of the non-formal educational programme “Theoretical and Practical Training for Medical Practitioners in the Vaccination against COVID-19” financed by the Ministry of Health, ensuring that the practical and clinical training is simultaneously held only for a group of participants from one educational institution, and also maintaining of the two-meter distance and use of mouth and nose covers during the training process;
5.13.3.5. practical and clinical training for the completion of the non-formal educational programme “Doctor’s Assistant in an Outpatient Service”, ensuring that the practical and clinical training is simultaneously held only for a group of participants from one educational institution, and also maintaining of the two-meter distance and use of mouth and nose covers during the training process;
5.13.3.6. training in the railway, road traffic, maritime and aviation sub-sectors, and also sectors of passenger carriage, road freight and transport of dangerous goods, and the individual completion of the practical part of first aid courses and taking the final examination which concurrently correspond to all following conditions:
5.13.3.6.1. training is necessary for obtaining professional skills or qualifications or maintaining them in the first half of 2021;
5.13.3.6.2. training cannot be held remotely;
5.13.3.6.3. in accordance with laws and regulations, the person needs this training to be appointed to a position or establish or fulfil employment relationship, receive, maintain, extend or renew certificates, licences, confirmations, certifications and similar documents, and also for recognition of professional qualification and the attestation of competence conformity;
5.13.3.6.4. completion of training on site shall take place individually, and only the person being trained and the instructor shall be in the room or vehicle, except for the implementation of certified training programmes of the Ministry of Transport for the acquisition and maintaining of a professional qualification of seafarers where not more than five educatees per group shall take part in training on site, and training for the obtaining and maintaining the validity of the flight crew member licence and rating within the certified training programmes, including the taking of theoretical and practical examinations where in one room on site not more than three educatees per group shall participate;
5.13.3.6.5. during the training process all persons present shall use mouth and nose covers, and increased ventilation of premises (including the vehicle) shall be ensured;
5.13.3.7. individual completion of the practical part of driver training and first aid courses, and taking the final examination which concurrently corresponds to all these conditions:
5.13.3.7.1. training cannot be held remotely;
5.13.3.7.2. the person has not commenced the training until 20 December 2020;
5.13.3.7.3. in accordance with laws and regulations, the person needs this training to be appointed to a position or establish or fulfil employment relationship, receive, maintain, extend or renew certificates, licences, confirmations, certifications and similar documents, and also for recognition of professional qualification and the attestation of competence conformity;
5.13.3.7.4. training on site shall take place individually and only the person who is being trained and the instructor shall be in the room or the vehicle;
5.13.3.7.5. during the training process all persons present shall use mouth and nose covers, and increased ventilation of premises (including the vehicle) shall be ensured;
5.13.4. the completion of interest education and vocational orientation education programmes shall be held remotely, except for holding the sports trainings (sessions) referred to in Sub-paragraph 5.17 of this Order;
5.13.5. if the Centre for Disease Prevention and Control has imposed mandatory counter-epidemic measures on an educational institution, an educatee or employee of an educational institution, the educational institution shall immediately inform the State Education Quality Service of this fact and further action;
5.13.6. in prisons, the completion of non-formal educational programmes shall be suspended, but the completion of the theoretical part of a vocational education programme shall be provided remotely;
5.13.7. for educatees in grades 1–4 winter holidays in the academic year 2020/2021 shall last from 21 December 2020 until 22 January 2021 and the second semester shall begin on 25 January 2021, whereas for educatees in grades 5 and 6 winter holidays shall last from 21 December 2020 until 8 January 2021 and the second semester shall begin on 11 January 2021. The abovementioned conditions shall not apply to the educational institution for social correction “Naukšēni” and special educational institutions, and also to the acquisition of education in distance learning;
[17 November 2020; 24 November 2020; 2 December 2020; 17 December 2020; 7 January 2021; 14 January 2021, 19 January 2021, 21 January 2021; 5 February 2021; 16 February 2021; 19 February 2021; 24 February 2021; 26 February 2021; 15 March 2021 / Sub-paragraph 5.13.3.7 shall come into force on 15 March 2021. See Sub-paragraph 1.4 of Amendments]
5.14. rehearsals of amateur collectives (including choirs, orchestras, folk music ensembles, dance groups, and other folk art collectives) shall be held remotely;
[21 January 2021 / New wording of the Sub-paragraph shall come into force on 26 January 2021. See the introductory part of Sub-paragraph 1.2 of Amendments]
5.15. the operation of camps for children shall be discontinued;
5.16. any sporting events (for example, competitions, demonstrations, numbers) shall be prohibited and cancelled, except for:
5.16.1. the sports competitions included in the calendar of sports competitions of international Olympic sports federations (including the official trainings intended before competitions) for athletes of adult teams if they are held without spectators;
5.16.2. the sports competitions of team sports of international and highest leagues in which only professional athletes (persons who, on contractual basis and for the remuneration agreed, are preparing for sports competitions and participate therein) participate if they are held without spectators;
[7 January 2021]
5.17. sports trainings (sessions), including within the scope of programmes of interest education and vocational orientation, shall be organised outdoors, individually or remotely, in compliance with the following conditions:
5.17.1. no more than 10 persons gather at the same time in an organised manner in one training group for sports training (session) in outdoor spaces (excluding the sports specialists and sports employees), and locker rooms are not used. If it is permitted by the area of the sports venue of the relevant outdoor space, the work of several training groups may take place at the same time if flows of different training groups do not overlap physically, and also separate supervision of their activity is ensured;
5.17.2. sports trainings (sessions) in indoor spaces, including individual visits, shall be discontinued, except for the persons referred to in Sub-paragraph 5.17.3 of this Order;
5.17.3. training of athletes of the Latvian adult team, Latvian Olympic team, or Latvian Paralympic team, and also professional athletes (persons who, on contractual basis and for the remuneration agreed, are preparing for sports competitions and participate therein) of teams of international and highest leagues of team sports, educatees of Murjāņi Sports Gymnasium and centres for the preparation of high-level athletes, and also such athletes of the Latvian youth and junior teams who are preparing for participation in the European or world championships for the corresponding ages shall take place both in indoor spaces and outdoor spaces, and the conditions referred to in Sub-paragraphs 5.17.1 and 5.17.2 of this Order shall not apply to them;
[24 November 2020; 17 December 2020, 7 January 2021; 21 January 2021 / New wording of the Sub-paragraph 5.17.2 shall come into force on 26 January 2021. See the introductory part of Paragraph 1.2 of Amendments]
5.17.1 the physical fitness test of an official with special service rank and candidate to such position of the institutions of the system of the Ministry of the Interior and the Prison Administration may take place in a room indoors where no more than five persons gather (excluding persons who are holding the abovementioned test), and they shall also be permitted to use the dressing room by ensuring the compliance with the epidemiological safety requirements and the necessary precautionary measures (for example, use of mouth and nose covers in dressing rooms before the beginning and after the completion of the test, distancing, compliance with the disinfection requirements, and also that flows of different groups do not physically overlap);
[11 February 2021]
5.17.2 when providing economic services, including services for holding sports trainings (sessions), Alpine skiing sports facilities shall comply with the following additional conditions:
5.17.2 1. not more than 300 persons may concurrently be at the Alpine skiing sports facility and the territories managed thereby (including parking lots) provided that at least 70 m2 of outdoor space is ensured for each person and the two-metre distance can be maintained at all places;
5.17.2 2. the maximum permissible number of visitors that may concurrently be at the Alpine skiing sports facility with lift tickets shall be calculated as follows:
5.17.2 2.1. the lift capacity (number of persons who are concurrently going up a hill ensuring the compliance with distancing requirements) shall be multiplied by the coefficient 1.3 – for sports facilities where more than 100 persons may be at the same time;
5.17.2 2.2. the lift capacity (number of persons who are concurrently going up a hill ensuring the compliance with distancing requirements) shall be multiplied by the coefficient 2 – for sports facilities where less than 100 persons may be at the same time;
5.17.2 3. if take-away meals are provided within the territory of the Alpine skiing sports facility, tables and chairs (benches) may not be located near the provision site;
5.17.2 4. the owner or legal possessor of the Alpine skiing sports facility shall:
5.17.2 4.1. appoint a person who will be responsible for organising the implementation of epidemiological safety measures at the Alpine skiing sports, and shall also ensure the staff necessary for the implementation of control measures, including in parking lots;
5.17.2 4.2. ensure continuous online stream from security cameras showing queues to lifts and other places where people can crowd (e.g., ticket booths, sites where sporting equipment is leased or food is provided);
[19 February 2021]
5.18. for the support to local governments which is provided in accordance with Cabinet Regulation No. 709 of 8 December 2015, Regulations Regarding the Methodology for the Determination of Costs and the Procedures by which a Local Government shall Cover the Costs of a Pre-school Educational Programme for a Private Educational Institution According to the Average Costs Stipulated Thereby, the restriction referred to in Paragraph 9 of the Regulation shall not be applied to the absence of the child due to a health condition or other justifying reasons until the end of the emergency situation;
5.18.1 when organising the completion of learning content provided for in the educational programme for the first stage of basic education in family in accordance with Cabinet Regulation No. 591 of 13 October 2015, Procedures for Enrolling Students in and Discharging from General Educational Institutions and Special Pre-school Educational Groups, and also for Moving Them up into the Next Grade, the requirement to submit a statement issued by a doctor or a psychologist’s opinion specified in Sub-paragraph 22.1 of the abovementioned Regulation shall not be applied until the end of the emergency situation;
[17 November 2020]
5.19. for the purpose of achieving the epidemiological safety objectives, the organisation of court proceedings in the following manner shall be specified:
5.19.1. a court shall use the written procedure as much as possible or shall examine cases remotely;
5.19.2. [21 January 2021];
5.19.3. oral hearing of a case on site shall be held in compliance with the epidemiological safety requirements if it is not possible to ensure examination of the case in the written procedure or remotely and examination of the case is related to a significant violation of the rights of a person and an objective urgency;
5.19.4. [21 January 2021];
5.19.5. [21 January 2021];
5.19.6. [21 January 2021];
5.19.7. [21 January 2021];
5.19.8. if it is not possible to ensure examination of a case in the written procedure or remotely and the issue is not related to a significant violation of the rights of a person and an objective urgency, the examination of the case shall be postponed until revocation of the emergency situation;
5.19.9. judicial services shall only be available remotely;
[2 December 2020; 21 January 2021]
5.20. investigative actions in pre-trial criminal proceedings, if possible, shall be performed remotely. For achievement of the epidemiological safety objectives, investigative actions may be postponed, in an exceptional case, until revocation of the emergency situation if postponing of the investigative actions does not cause a significant violation of the rights of the persons involved in proceedings;
5.20.1if the decision to impose the compulsory measure of a correctional nature – placement in an educational institution for social correction – on a child has been taken during the emergency situation, enforcement of the abovementioned decision shall be suspended until the end of the emergency situation;
[2 December 2020]
5.21. the Latvian Council of Sworn Bailiffs and the Latvian Council of Sworn Notaries may determine restrictions for the reception of visitors on site or decide on the discontinuation thereof at the locations of the practice of sworn bailiffs and sworn notaries;
5.22. a sworn bailiff and a sworn notary may decide on suspension of the official activities if the fulfilment thereof may be related to an increased risk for the persons involved to become infected with COVID-19 and the fulfilment of such activity is not related to an objective urgency, and suspension does not cause a significant violation of the rights;
5.23. an Orphan’s and Custody Court may examine a case and take decisions in a meeting of the Orphan’s and Custody Court in the written procedure (without the presence of persons) if it has not recognised that it is necessary to examine the case in the oral procedure. The authority (official) shall, in a manner corresponding to the nature of written procedure, ensure the same extent of rights for the participants in the proceedings as in the oral procedure;
5.24. if a case is examined in the written procedure (without the presence of persons), becoming acquainted with the materials of such case shall be ensured remotely. An Orphan’s and Custody Court shall, within three working days after receipt of a relevant application signed by the person, send scanned copies of the case materials to the e-mail address indicated by the person or information on electronic access to the case materials (ensuring the possibility to become acquainted with the case materials or to obtain a copy);
5.25. an Orphan’s and Custody Court may determine that procedural actions, including the actions to be performed in a meeting of the Orphan’s and Custody Court, are performed using video conferencing in compliance with the restrictions specified due to the spread of COVID-19 and the epidemiological situation in the State;
5.26. if an Orphan’s and Custody Court is hindered in the fulfilment of the tasks specified in the Law on Orphan’s and Custody Courts, except for the tasks specified in Chapters VII and VIII of the abovementioned Law, the Orphan’s and Custody Court may transfer the fulfilment of individual tasks to another closest Orphan’s and Custody Court for a specific period of time and such other Orphan’s and Custody Court has the duty to take over the abovementioned tasks for a specific period of time;
5.27. the commencement of serving the sentence of a temporary deprivation of liberty and criminal punishment – arrest – at prisons shall be suspended and detaining and delivering of such persons to prisons to whom a temporary deprivation of liberty, criminal punishment – arrest – has been adjudged or to whom the fine or community service adjudged by a court judgment has been replaced with a temporary deprivation of liberty shall be discontinued;
5.28. the transfer and taking over of persons convicted and detained in a foreign country for the further execution of a custodial sentence or enforcement of imprisonment within the territory of the Republic of Latvia shall be suspended, except when the foreign country has refused to extend the time limit for the transfer of the person or the detention period of the person cannot be extended and the person to be transferred or taken over has been tested for COVID-19 72 hours before entry, and the test is negative;
[8 December 2020]
5.29. convoying of prisoners to courts shall be discontinued, except for the cases which contain the official secret object. Convoying of prisoners shall be discontinued upon request of a person directing the proceedings, except for cases if a consent has been received from the head of the institution or his or her authorised official;
5.30. the transfer of prisoners between prisons shall be discontinued (except for the transfer of prisoners due to security reasons, their transfer to the Latvian Prison Hospital at Olaine Prison and back, transfer of convicted persons to begin their sentence execution and cases when the security measure – arrest – is imposed on a convicted person in another criminal case while he or she is serving their sentence);
[2 December 2020]
5.30.1 the prisoner who is being released from a prison and to whom COVID-19 infection has been confirmed or who has been identified as a contact person shall, if this person has no place of residence but must continue isolation or home quarantine, stay for this time at one of the tourist accommodation establishments indicated in the list maintained by the Investment and Development Agency of Latvia that has applied for the accommodation of such persons. The Investment and Development Agency of Latvia shall administer the payment of the State provided 100 % aid (not more that EUR 35 per person for one night for the provision of accommodation services and not more than EUR 10 for the provision of catering services three times per day), prepare a list of tourist accommodation establishments, provide consultations and also record the persons who have received the aid to ensure control of the costs;
[28 January 2021]
5.30.2 the Prison Administration shall:
5.30.2 1. provide support to the person referred to in Sub-paragraph 5.30.1 of this Order in choosing the tourist accommodation establishment;
5.30.2 2. ensure that the tourist accommodation establishment is informed of the date of arrival and necessary length of stay of the person referred to in Sub-paragraph 5.30.1 of this Order;
5.30.2 3. ensure transportation of the person referred to in Sub-paragraph 5.30.1 of this Order to the tourist accommodation establishment;
5.30.2 4. issue the person referred to in Sub-paragraph 5.30.1 of this Order the medicinal products that must be taken daily for five days, a thermometer and personal protective equipment;
5.30.2 5. inform the Centre for Disease Prevention and Control, National Health Service, Investment and Development Agency of Latvia, State Police, and also the social service of the local government in the territory of which the selected tourist accommodation establishment is located of the release of the person referred to in Sub-paragraph 5.30.1 of this Order, and shall indicate the place where the person shall stay for the time of isolation or quarantine;
5.30.2 6. acquaint the person referred to Sub-paragraph 5.30.1 of this Order (against a signature) with the obligations laid down in laws and regulations that must be complied with by persons infected with COVID-19 and their contact persons;
5.30.2 7. electronically send a submission signed by the person referred to in Sub-paragraph 5.30.1 of this Order to the social service of the local government in the territory of which the tourist accommodation establishment is located with a request to grant an allowance in the crisis situation;
[28 January 2021]
5.30.3 the National Health Service shall immediately appoint a general practitioner for the person referred to in Sub-paragraph 5.30.1 of this Order if he or she does not have a general practitioner. The National Health Service shall provide coverage of the costs of a general practitioner for ensuring the medical treatment process in accordance with the range of the State paid health care services within the limits of the budget;
[28 January 2021]
5.30.4 social service of the local government in the territory of which the person referred to in Sub-paragraph 5.30.1 of this Order stays shall immediately prepare and send to the tourist accommodation establishment where the person stays a guarantee letter, indicating the name, surname and personal identity number of the person referred to in Sub-paragraph 5.30.1 of this Order and undertakes to pay the invoice issued by a pharmacy for the medicinal products needed by the person and delivery of medicinal products, but for not more than EUR 150. The tourist accommodation establishment shall issue the aforementioned letter to the person authorised by the person at the moment when the medicinal products are delivered. If the person needs repeated purchase and delivery of medicinal products, the order shall be made in the pharmacy where the guarantee letter is submitted. The pharmacy which provides the medicinal products and their delivery shall send the invoice to the social service of the local government. The social service shall take the decision to grant an allowance in crisis situation in order to provide health care for the person referred to in Sub-paragraph 5.30.1 of this Order in accordance with the invoice issued by the pharmacy;
[28 January 2021]
5.30.5 local governments shall cover the expenditure referred to in Sub-paragraph 5.30.4 of this Order for the allowance in crisis situation to the person referred to in Sub-paragraph 5.30.1 of this Order from the local government budget. In order to cover the expenditure of the allowance in crisis situation, the State shall provide to local governments an earmarked grant for covering the expenditure in the amount of 100 % of the allowance in crisis situation disbursed to the person, but not more than EUR 150 a month per one person. In order to receive the earmarked grant, a local government must act in accordance with Sub-paragraph 37.3 of the Transitional Provisions of the Law on Social Services and Social Assistance. In order to ensure the disbursement of the earmarked grant to a local government, the Ministry of Welfare shall act in accordance with Sub-paragraph 37.4 of the Transitional Provision of the Law on Social Services and Social Assistance.
[28 January 2021]
5.31. the head of the Prisons Administration, the Chief of the State Police, and the Chief of the State Fire and Rescue Service have the right:
5.31.1. to assign any official with special service rank of the Prisons Administration, any official with special service rank of the State Police, or any official with special service rank of the State Fire and Rescue Service respectively the fulfilment of any service duties other than those specified in the job description or to fulfil them in another unit;
5.31.2. to employ the staff of the Prisons Administration, the State Police, and the State Fire and Rescue Service respectively continuously for more than 24 hours;
5.32. long-term social care and social rehabilitation institutions shall:
5.32.1. accept new clients by evaluating the possibility of guaranteeing safety of the client and the need to receive a service without delay, and also the resources necessary for the provision of the service, ensuring care on a priority basis and reducing the amount of social rehabilitation services if it is not possible to ensure them to full extent due to objective reasons;
5.32.2. test employees with the SARS-CoV-2 rapid antigen test. Employees who can, within three months after the day of becoming ill or taking of the sample affirming the contraction of COVID-19 infection, certify that they have been ill with COVID-19, have recovered therefrom and cannot pose a risk of infection to other persons anymore, need not undergo the the diagnostics of COVID-19. The authority shall ensure record-keeping of the SARS-CoV-2 rapid antigen tests according to the number of received and used tests, additionally including in such records information regarding the number of the used SARS-CoV-2 rapid antigen tests that have a positive AG test result;
5.32.3. suspend an employee from the fulfilment of duties if the SARS-CoV-2 rapid antigen tests of the relevant employee is positive, order this employee to immediately contact his or her general practitioner in order to undergo the laboratory testing for the diagnostics of COVID-19, identify in the staff those contact persons who are subject to the home quarantine requirements, and shall also inform the Centre for Disease Prevention and Control of the established case of possible infection;
[21 January 2021; 21 February 2021]
5.33. other providers of social services which provide social services with full or partial accommodation shall continue care at home, care at a day centre, social rehabilitation services for violence victims at crisis centres and placement of a child left without parental care in a long-term social care and social rehabilitation institution or a crisis centre, and temporary accommodation of persons without a place of residence in a shelter or night shelter, ensuring compliance with the epidemiological safety requirements and the necessary precautionary measures;
5.34. the provision of social rehabilitation and psychosocial rehabilitation services shall be permitted, only ensuring compliance with the epidemiological safety requirements and the gathering restrictions specified in the State and specifying that:
5.34.1. individual services are provided on site;
5.34.2. consultations are provided remotely;
5.34.3. social services are provided on site if the client has been tested for COVID-19 and the test is negative or the client has a statement issued by a general practitioner that the person has suffered from COVID-19;
[24 November 2020]
5.35. an employer has an obligation:
5.35.1. to provide the employees the possibilities to work remotely if the specific nature of the work allows it;
5.35.2. to ensure personal protective equipment to employees for work on site which are necessary for the performance of work duties (for example, mouth and nose covers, aprons, coveralls);
5.35.3. to specify measures for the containment of the spread of COVID-19 in the work collective, appointing a person responsible for the introduction of such measures at the working place and informing employees of the abovementioned measures;
5.35.4. to specify employees who shall perform work duties on site in order to ensure continuity of work, concurrently specifying appropriate internal control measures at the working place;
[17 December 2020; 7 January 2021 / The new wording of the introductory part of Sub-paragraph 5.35.1 shall come into force on 12 January 2021. See the introductory part of Sub-paragraph 1.7 of Amendments]
5.35.1 to organise work in a way that only such employees who ensure continuity of work and cannot perform it remotely at their place of residence would perform work duties on site. If the employee and the employer have not mutually agreed on the performance of work remotely, the employer has the right to unilaterally appoint the employee for remote work in conformity with Sub-paragraph 5.35.1 of this Order. After the end of the emergency situation, remote work shall be performed on the basis of an agreement between the parties;
[7 January 2021 / New wording of the Sub-paragraph shall come into force on 12 January 2021. See the introductory part of Sub-paragraph 1.7 of Amendments]
5.35.2 State and local government authorities, in conformity with Sub-paragraphs 5.35.1, 5.35.2, and 5.35.3 of this Order, shall ensure in addition that:
5.35.2 1. such officials (employees) who, due to the specific nature of work, perform work on site are specified, taking into consideration that:
5.35.2 1.1. only one official (employee) is present in the office;
5.35.2 1.2. not less than 15 m2 of the available area of premises is provided for one official (employee) in an open-type office;
5.35.2 2. the requirements laid down in Sub-paragraph 5.35.2 1.1. or 5.35.2 1.2 of this Order cannot be complied with, a work schedule is drawn up;
5.36. the condition laid down in the laws and regulations regarding the obligation of the addressee to sign in the area of the informative notice “date and signature” or on the sensor of the signature capturing device shall not be applicable during the emergency situation, if the postal operator, upon using consignment processing systems which prepare and aggregate the consignment receipt data, ensures documentary or electronic evidence that the particular consignment has been issued.
5.37. bringing in the territory of Latvia of minks and raw mink skins shall be prohibited.
[17 November 2020]
5.38. [2 December 2020];
5.39. [2 December 2020];
5.40. [2 December 2020];
5.41. the provider of an economic service, except for the provider of a trade service, shall:
5.41.1. ensure that at the site where the economic service is provided at least 15 m2 of the publicly available area of premises are available per visitor. At sites where the economic service is provided and one visitor has less than 15 m2 of the publicly available area of premises, only one person is allowed at the same time;
5.41.2. place at the entrance in a clearly visible place information, including in foreign languages, on the maximum number of persons allowed at the specific site at the same time;
5.41 3. ensure that the visitors are being allowed to enter the site where the service is provided only one at a time, except for persons requiring the help of an assistant or who objectively have difficulties to receive the service due to age or functional disorders and children up to 12 years of age who may be accompanied by one person of legal age;
[17 December 2020; 5 February 2021 / Sub-paragraph 5.41.3 shall come into force on 8 February 2021. See the introductory part of Paragraph 1.2 of Amendments]
5.42. starting from 7 December 2020, the carrier of public transportation shall organise the boarding and disembarking from the vehicles so that the number of passengers in the vehicle would not exceed 50 % of its capacity. If the boarding and disembarking of passengers into or from the vehicle cannot be controlled due to its characteristics, seats shall be marked in the vehicle, ensuring compliance with the distancing requirements;
[2 December 2020]
5.42.1 the commissioning parties of public transport services and carriers must ensure the fulfilment of the epidemiological requirements referred to in Sub-paragraph 5.42 of this Order. The State Police and the municipal police shall ensure control of the fulfilment;
[12 March 2021 / Sub-paragraph shall come into force on 16 March 2021. See the introductory part of Paragraph 1 of Amendments]
5.42.2 the public transport carrier shall appoint a person responsible for the development, agreement, and enforcement of the protocol of epidemiological safety requirements;
[12 March 2021 / Sub-paragraph shall come into force on 16 March 2021. See the introductory part of Paragraph 1 of Amendments]
5.42.3 local governments of cities shall determine restrictions on the fare relief specified for separate groups of passengers in the city routes at peak periods for the use of the public transport services;
[24 March 2021]
5.43. mouth and nose covers shall be used in public indoor spaces, including working places, if more than one person stays in the premises, except:
5.43.1. by professional orchestra and choirs, theatre and dance collectives;
5.43.2. in the process for the acquisition of education related to learning how to play an instrument or the vocal art;
5.43.3. by athletes during sports trainings (sessions) and the sporting events referred to in Sub-paragraph 5.16 of this Order;
5.43.4. by the employees of electronic mass media if it is needed to fully perform their work duties;
5.43.5. for the cases when the broadcast or recording of a cultural or religious event is being prepared or taking place, remote learning process is ensured or audiovisual works are created if it is needed to fully perform work duties and the permission of the legal possessor has been received;
[2 December 2020; 17 December 2020; 22 December 2020; 7 January 2021; 21 January 2021]
5.43.1 the producers of television and radio broadcasts must ensure that the presenter of the broadcast and the interviewee uses mouth and nose covers on site at the studio if the interview is longer than 15 minutes;
[30 December 2020]
5.43.2 the National Electronic Mass Media Council shall, by taking the relevant decision and in accordance with Section 5, Paragraph two and Section 62, Paragraph six of the Electronic Mass Media Law, and according to the procedures laid down in Paragraph 40 of the Transitional Provisions of the Electronic Mass Media Law and Section 5.1 of the law On Prevention of Squandering of the Financial Resources and Property of a Public Person, be allowed to transfer the news, informative and analytical broadcasts created and transmitted by the public media of Latvia to other electronic mass media for use free of charge, and also may decide on the discontinuation of use thereof if the electronic mass medium does not comply with the provisions of the decision of the National Electronic Mass Media Council;
[28 January 2021]
5.44. in public transportation and indoor spaces, mouth and nose covers need not be used by children under the age of 7 years and persons with obvious movement impairments or mental health disorders due to which the person lacks capacity or skills to use mouth and nose covers. Children in the age from 7 to 13 years shall begin to use mouth and nose covers in the public transportation from 7 December 2020. In educational institutions, mouth and nose covers shall not be used by educatees in individual consultations on playing wind instruments, singing or dancing if they have been tested for COVID-19 within the last 72 hours before the consultation, and the test is negative;
[26 February 2021]
5.45. the event organiser, provider of the economic service, and owner of a building shall ensure that the person who fails to use the mouth and nose cover or uses it improperly (without covering the nose and mouth) is not let indoors. The event organiser or provider of economic services shall not provide the service to the person who fails to comply with the epidemiological safety requirements, including fails to use the mouth and nose cover. The abovementioned requirements shall not be applicable to the persons referred to in Sub-paragraph 5.44 of this Order;
[2 December 2020]
5.45.1 [15 January 2021. See Paragraph 4 of Amendments];
5.45.2 starting from 15 February 2021, a person must cross the territory of the Republic of Latvia in transit within 12 hours after submitting the certification from in the information system for monitoring persons (on the website of the information system (covidpass.lv)), except for:
5.45.2 1. a passenger of international passenger carriage who must cross the territory of the Republic of Latvia in transit within 48 hours;
5.45.2 2. employee of a provider of transportation services, crew member of cargo or technical journeys who must cross the territory of the Republic of Latvia in transit within 72 hours;
5.45.2 3. member of the ship’s crew, and also a seafarer who must get to his work place on board a ship or who needs to return from such place;
5.45.2 4. flight crew member;
5.45.2 5. aircraft passenger who crosses the territory of the Republic of Latvia in transit without leaving the airside and staying therein for not more than 24 hours if this person can present a confirmation of a transit flight;
[11 February 2021]
5.46. medical treatment institutions shall discontinue the provision of health care services within the scope of health tourism from 3 December 2020. The Ministry of Health shall have the right to, in exceptional cases related to humanitarian considerations or urgent necessity, allow the provision of health care services within the scope of the health tourism;
[2 December 2020; 21 January 2021]
5.47. inpatient medical treatment institutions:
5.47.1. shall discontinue the provision of health care services in day hospitals, except for:
5.47.1.1. services provided to ensure the continuity of treatment – chemotherapy, biological medicinal products, organ substitution treatment;
5.47.1.2. radiation therapy;
5.47.1.3. health care services for haematological diseases;
5.47.1.4. methadone and buprenorphine substitution treatment;
5.47.1.5. health care services for patients who must continue or complete the treatment started as a matter of urgency on inpatient basis;
5.47.1.6. interventional cardiology;
5.47.1.7. interventional radiology;
5.47.2. shall discontinue the provision of inpatient health care services, except for:
5.47.2.1. emergency medical assistance and acute assistance;
5.47.2.2. oncological and life-saving surgeries, and such surgeries due to cancellation of which the person could become disabled;
5.47.2.3. health care services in relation to the treatment of the following groups of diseases – oncology, HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis, psychiatry, contagious skin diseases and sexually transmitted diseases, traumatology;
5.47.2.4. acute and subacute rehabilitation services to person for whom the postponement of this service can cause risk of disability or loss of capacity for work, including to children for whom the postponement of the rehabilitation can cause substantial deterioration of functional abilities;
5.47.3. as far as possible, ensure remote consultations of outpatient specialists. If consultations cannot be ensured remotely, the medical treatment institutions may see patients only upon registration by specifying the exact time of arrival for the receipt of a medical treatment service, providing a sufficient period between patients visits to prevent them from meeting each other.
[30 December 2020 / New wording of the Sub-paragraph shall come into force on 5 January 2021. See Sub-paragraph 1.7 of Amendments]
5.48. as far as possible, the outpatient medical treatment institutions shall ensure consultations of outpatient specialists remotely. If consultations cannot be ensured remotely, the medical treatment institutions may see patients only upon registration by specifying the exact time of arrival for the receipt of a medical treatment service, providing a sufficient period between patients visits to prevent them from meeting each other.
[7 January 2021]
5.49. from 11 February 2021 to 25 February 2021:
5.49.1. a person may not travel to the Republic of Latvia from the countries of the European Union and European Economic Area, the Swiss Confederation or the United Kingdom, except when prior to getting into the vehicle of the carrier or prior to entering the Republic of Latvia by a vehicle not performing carriage for reward the person has filled in the self-certification on the website of the information system (covidpass.lv) stating that entry in the Republic of Latvia is urgently necessary for the purpose of work, studies, family reunification, receipt of medical services, transit or accompanying of minor persons, and also to return to his or her place of permanent residence or to attend a funeral. The international carrier shall visually ascertain that the person has submitted this self-certification. The self-certification together with the documents certifying the purpose of entry, insofar as the purpose of entry is not certified by the information available in the State information system, shall be presented to the State Border Guard or State Police upon a request. Entry in the territory of the Republic of Latvia of nationals of the European Union, including the Republic of Latvia, the European Economic Area, the Swiss Confederation and the United Kingdom, and the permanent residents of the European Union who have a residence permit in Latvia shall not be restricted if the person is entering by a vehicle not performing carriage for reward;
5.49.2. international carriage of passengers via airports, ports, by buses and railway transport shall not be performed from the United Kingdom, Ireland, and Portugal and to these countries. The prohibition of international carriage shall not be applied to the carriage of passengers referred to in Sub-paragraphs 35.1 and 35.1.1 of the Cabinet Regulation No. 360 of 9 June 2020, Epidemiological Safety Measures for the Containment of the Spread of COVID-19 Infection. The carriage of passengers laid down in Sub-paragraphs 35.2, 35.4, 35.5, 35.6 and 35.7 of the abovementioned Regulation may be performed with a permission of the Minister for Transport;
5.49.3. the exceptions referred to in Sub-paragraph 37.2 of the Cabinet Regulation No. 360 of 9 June 2020, Epidemiological Safety Measures for the Containment of the Spread of COVID-19 Infection, shall not apply to the holders of the temporary residence permits of the Republic of Latvia if their purpose of entry does not conform to any of the purposes of entry referred to in Sub-paragraphs 37.1, 37.2, 37.3, 37.5, 37.6, 37.7, 37.8, 37.9, 37.10, 37.11, 37.12, 37.13 and 37.15 of the abovementioned Regulation.
[5 February 2021]
5.49.1 starting from 26 February 2021:
5.49.1 1. a person may not travel to the Republic of Latvia from the countries of the European Union and European Economic Area, the Swiss Confederation or the United Kingdom, except when prior to getting into the vehicle of the carrier or prior to entering the Republic of Latvia by a vehicle not performing carriage for reward the person has filled in the self-certification on the website of the information system (covidpass.lv) stating that entry in the Republic of Latvia is urgently necessary for the purpose of work, studies, family reunification, receipt of medical services, transit or accompanying of minor persons, and also to return to his or her place of permanent residence or to attend a funeral. The international carrier shall visually ascertain that the person has submitted this self-certification. The self-certification together with the documents certifying the purpose of entry, insofar as the purpose of entry is not certified by the information available in the State information system, shall be presented to the State Border Guard or State Police upon a request. Entry in the territory of the Republic of Latvia of nationals of the European Union, including the Republic of Latvia, the European Economic Area, the Swiss Confederation and the United Kingdom, and the permanent residents of the European Union who have a residence permit in Latvia shall not be restricted if the person is entering by a vehicle not performing carriage for reward;
5.49.1 2. the exceptions referred to in Sub-paragraph 37.2 of the Cabinet Regulation No. 360 of 9 June 2020, Epidemiological Safety Measures for the Containment of the Spread of COVID-19 Infection, shall not apply to the holders of the temporary residence permits of the Republic of Latvia if their purpose of entry does not conform to any of the purposes of entry referred to in Sub-paragraphs 37.1, 37.2, 37.3, 37.5, 37.6, 37.7, 37.8, 37.9, 37.10, 37.11, 37.12, 37.13 and 37.15 of the abovementioned Regulation.
[25 February 2021]
6. A natural person has an obligation to comply with the requirements referred to in Paragraph 5 of this Order, whereas, the organiser of the event or the provider of the economic or public service has an obligation to ensure that the person has a possibility to comply therewith.
6.1 From 7 December 2020, the State Border Guard shall, in cooperation with the National Armed Forces and State Police, shall monitor on enhanced bases whether the person who have entered Latvia fulfils the obligation imposed thereupon – to submit the confirmation form in the information system for monitoring persons (on the website of the information system (covidpass.lv)).
[2 December 2020]
6.2 The control of the restrictions referred to in Sub-paragraph 5.1.1 of this Order shall be ensured by the State Police in cooperation with the municipal police, the State Border Guard and the National Armed Forces.
[30 December 2020]
6.3 For the persons who enter Latvia, crossing the external border by an aircraft, the State Border Guard shall, in addition to the monitoring referred to in Paragraph 6.1 of this Order, monitor on an enhanced basis the existence of the document referred to in Sub-paragraph 35.3 1 or 35.3 2 of Cabinet Regulation No 360 of 9 June 2020, Epidemiological Safety Measures for the Containment of the Spread of COVID-19 Infection.
[12 March 2021 / Paragraph shall come into force on 16 March 2021. See the introductory part of Paragraph 1 of Amendments]
6.4 Upon a request of an official of the State Border Guard, a carrier which is carrying, in transit through the Republic of Latvia to another country, a foreigner who has been refused entry in the next transit country or country of destination shall carry him or her to the country from which he or she has been brought or to the country which issued the travel document, or to any other country in which entry of the foreigner is guaranteed.
[12 March 2021 / Paragraph shall come into force on 16 March 2021. See the introductory part of Paragraph 1 of Amendments]
7. The Minister for Defence shall take a decision on the provision of support by the National Armed Forces to the State Border Guard, the State Police, the Prisons Administration, and also to the civil defence system, evaluating the impact of the request expressed on the fulfilment of the direct tasks of the National Armed Forces and the conformity level of preparedness of the National Armed Forces for the fulfilment of the relevant task.
8. The Minister for Defence shall take a decision on the course of the learning process in military educational institutions. The Minister for the Interior shall take a decision on the course of the learning process in educational institutions of the system of the Interior. The Minister for Justice shall take a decision on the course of the learning process in the Training Centre of the Prisons Administration.
8.1 Upon taking a relevant decision, the Minister for Justice may, during the emergency situation, suspend the issue of the office certificate of the administrator of insolvency proceedings and postpone the organisation of the qualification examination. Upon taking the abovementioned decision, the term for the use of the office certificate of the administrator of insolvency proceedings already issued shall be determined taking into account that it may not exceed three months after the end of the emergency situation.
[24 November 2020]
9. The determination of such overtime work which exceeds the maximum overtime work specified in the Labour Law, the Law on the Career Course of Service of Officials with Special Service Ranks Working in Institutions of the System of the Ministry of the Interior and the Prisons Administration, and Section 53.1, Paragraph two of the Medical Treatment Law but does not exceed 60 hours per week shall be allowed in State and local government medical treatment institutions which provide inpatient health care services, for employees of ports and capital companies controlled thereby, and also for the persons employed in the State Emergency Medical Service, for the civil servants and employees of the Ministry of Health, the Centre for Disease Prevention and Control, the State Revenue Service, the National Health Service, the system of the Ministry of the Interior, and also for the officials with special service ranks of the Ministry of the Interior shall be permitted. The provisions of Section 136, Paragraph four of the Labour Law shall not be applicable to the cases referred to in this Paragraph. The Ministry of Health, the Ministry of Finance, the Ministry of Defence, and the Ministry of the Interior shall request the additional financial resources necessary for overtime work remuneration from the State budget programme 02.00.00 “Funds for Unforeseen Events”.
10. The determination of such overtime work which exceeds the maximum overtime work specified in the Labour Law but does not exceed 60 hours per week together with the normal work time shall be allowed for the employees of municipal police, Orphan’s and Custody Court and local government social service offices, and also for the employees of providers of such social services which ensure accommodation, care, and supervision. The provisions of Section 136, Paragraph four of the Labour Law shall not be applicable to the cases referred to in this Paragraph.
[2 December 2020]
10.1 In medical treatment institutions which provide outpatient or inpatient health care services and practices of general practitioners, and also for the employees of the State Emergency Medical Service and the State Blood Donor Centre, pharmacists and also the civil servants and employees of the Ministry of Health, the Centre for Disease Prevention and Control and the National Health Service, a supplement of up to 100 % of the monthly wage may be specified for work under conditions of increased risk and workload due to the outbreak of COVID-19 and elimination of its consequences in addition to the maximum amount of supplements laid down in Section 14, Paragraph two of the Law on Remuneration of Officials and Employees of State and Local Government Authorities. The Minister for Health shall decide on the use of the funding based on the actual needs and request the additional funds required by the Ministry of Health for supplements from the State budget programme 02.00.00 “Funds for Unforeseen Events”.
[8 December 2020; 17 December 2020; 30 December 2020]
10.2 A vaccination process supervision project unit shall be established, and monthly wages for its employees shall be determined in accordance with Annex to this Order. The abovementioned employees may be additionally remunerated for overtime work.
[15 January 2021]
10.3 Based on Section 24 of the Law on the Suppression of Consequences of the Spread of COVID-19 Infection and in accordance with Section 15, Paragraph one of the Law on Remuneration of Officials and Employees of State and Local Government Authorities, and complying with the criteria referred to in Paragraph 10.4 of this Order and the number of participation or contact hours of an official, a supplement in the amount of 75 % of the hourly wage rate may, from 1 January 2021, be determined for officials with special service ranks of the institutions subordinate to the Ministry of the Interior for work under conditions of increased risk and workload in relation to the outbreak of COVID-19 and elimination of its consequences. The expenditure resulting from the supplements shall be covered from the State budget programme “Funds for Unforeseen Events” based on the actually required amount.
[26 January 2021; 19 February 2021]
10.4The following criteria shall be complied with when determining the supplement referred to in Paragraph 10.3 of this Order for the officials with special service ranks of the institutions subordinate to the Ministry of the Interior:
10.4 1. the official is in direct and clearly verifiable contact with persons infected or possibly infected with COVID-19 or is involved in the testing process;
10.4 2. the official is in direct and clearly verifiable contact with patients of a COVID-19 risk group to whom the disease has not been confirmed, but who must stay in quarantine or self-isolation;
10.4 3. the official participates in events that are related to ensuring public order and control of the imposed restrictions.
[26 January 2021]
10.5 The State fee for ensuring the four digit code 8989 of the services of public telephone network operators for the communication of persons so that they could apply for vaccination against COVID-19 early that has been referred to in Cabinet Regulation No. 828 of 17 December 2020, Regulations Regarding the Annual State Fee for the Rights of Use of the Numbering, shall not be applied to electronic communication merchants when they provide voice telephony services. Zero-duty tariff shall be applied to all calls to code 8989 from every electronic communications network.
[5 February 2021]
10.6 For an in-depth analysis of the epidemiological situation and acquisition of data thereon that is necessary for the identification of the place and type of infection in order to introduce appropriate protection measures, the Centre for Disease Prevention and Control shall ensure exchange of data with the State Revenue Service. The State Revenue Service shall transfer to the Centre for Disease Prevention and Control information regarding the employment of such person who has contracted COVID-19 in accordance with the data at the disposal of the Centre for Disease Prevention and Control.
[16 February 2021]
10.7 In accordance with Section 14, Paragraph four of the Law on Remuneration of Officials and Employees of State and Local Government Authorities, and Section 67 and Section 138, Paragraph one of the Labour Law, the expenses associated with supplements for work during night to officials with special service ranks of the institutions of the system of the Ministry of the Interior and employees of the municipal police who are engaged in overtime work (performance of service duties for a period exceeding the specified duty performance time) in order to control the compliance with the prohibition of citizen movement within the period from 22.00 and 5.00 shall be covered from:
10.7 1. the State budget programme “Funds for Unforeseen Events” – for the officials with special service ranks of the institutions of the system of the Ministry of the Interior;
10.7 2. the State budget programme “Funds for Unforeseen Events” and funds of local government budget – for employees of a municipal police.
[19 February 2021]
10.8 Local government authorities shall compensate from the State budget programme "Funds for Unforeseen Events" expenditures which have arisen between 1 January 2021 and 7 February 2021 in order to ensure payment to employees of the municipal police for direct and clearly verifiable overtime work and supplement for work during night (hereinafter - the remuneration) when controlling the compliance with the prohibition of citizen movement within the period from 22.00 and 5.00 - in the amount of 75 per cent from the calculated amount of the remuneration (with mandatory State social insurance contributions of the employer).
[12 March 2021 / Paragraph shall come into force on 16 March 2021. See the introductory part of Paragraph 1 of Amendments]
11. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the responsible sectoral ministries shall, according to the competence, inform international organisations, if necessary, in accordance with the procedures laid down in international agreements of disengagement from the international liabilities of Latvia if the fulfilment of such liabilities is not possible during the emergency situation.
12. The measures shall be financed from the State budget resources allocated to the authorities in accordance with the law On the State Budget for 2020, as well as upon a motivated request of the authorities from the State budget programme 02.00.00 “Funds for Unforeseen Events”. In such cases, the decision to grant funding shall be taken by the Cabinet.
13. It shall be determined that the State authority specified in Section 3, Paragraph two of the law On Emergency Situation and State of Exception shall be the relevant sectoral ministry which aggregates claims of persons against the State for the damage caused and submits them to the Ministry of Finance.
14. The State Chancellery shall, in accordance with Section 9, Paragraph three of the law On Emergency Situation and State of Exception, notify the Presidium of the Saeima regarding the decision taken by the Cabinet and shall, in accordance with Paragraph four of the abovementioned Law, inform the public electronic mass media of the decision taken.
15. The decisions referred to in this Order, if they concern an individually undetermined circle of addressees, shall be notified in accordance with the procedures provided for in Section 11 of the Law on Notification.
Prime Minister A. K. Kariņš
Minister for Health I. Viņķele
Annex
Cabinet Order No. 655
6 November 2020
Maximum Monthly Wages for the Employees of the Vaccination Process Supervision Project Unit
[15 January 2021]
|
No. |
Position |
Maximum monthly wage (EUR) |
|
1. |
Vaccination Project Manager | not more than 4905 |
|
2. |
Vaccination Process Coordinator | not more than 4247 |
|
3. |
Logistics Coordinator | not more than 4247 |
|
4. |
Information Technology Coordinator | not more than 4247 |
|
5. |
Communications Coordinator | not more than 4247 |
|
6. |
Assistant to the Communications Coordinator | not more than 2108 |
|
7. |
Digital Media Specialist | not more than 3386 |
|
8. |
Office Administrator | not more than 2729 |
|
9. |
Secretary/Assistant | not more than 1577 |
|
10. |
Data Analyst/Expert | not more than 2446 |
Translation © 2021 Valsts valodas centrs (State Language Centre)