Latvia declares state of emergency after spike in COVID-19 cases

 Latvia declares state of emergency after spike in COVID-19 cases
Less than 60% of Latvians are fully vaccinated, which is the fourth-worst vaccination rate in the European Union after Bulgaria, Romania and Croatia.
By bne IntelliNews November 4, 2021

Latvia has declared a three-month state of emergency starting from November 8 following a spike in COVID-19 infections to record levels. 

A total of 2,347 new cases of the infection were added to Latvia's tally on November 4, according to the country’s Disease Prevention and Control Centre (SPKC). Of that number, 1,624 were unvaccinated persons, or persons not fully vaccinated, and 723 were fully vaccinated. The total number of cases detected since the start of the pandemic now stands at 226,860. Of 26,136 tests carried out in the past 24 hours, 9% were positive.

Under the new rules, masks are now obligatory in all buildings accessible by the general public and anyone employed in government must have a vaccine by November 15 at the latest. Unvaccinated people will only be allowed to shop for food and other essential items in designated stores and only shops considered essential will be allowed to open at weekends. All Latvians are being encouraged to work from home where possible.

Less than 60% of Latvians are fully vaccinated, which is the fourth-worst vaccination rate in the European Union after Bulgaria, Romania and Croatia.

On November 4, the Saeima, the Latvian parliament, supported amendments to the law which provide for the right of employers to fire employees who do not have an interoperable certificate of vaccination or recovery. 52 MPs voted for the amendments, 27 against, two abstained.

The employee is also entitled to resign without observing the one-month period in advance as stipulated by Labour Law.

Previously, the rules applied only to workers in healthcare, education, and social care, but now have been extended to all positions where there is contact with customers or where the employer deems a certificate to be necessary for other reasons.

Lithuania said on November 3 it is planning to send 201,200 doses of Pfizer vaccine against COVID-19 to neighbouring Latvia.

“Latvia is currently in a very unfavorable situation in terms of vaccine quantities it has booked and the manufacturer's supply schedules, so [the country] has asked for help, so that they could balance their schedules,” the Lithuanian health minister Arunas Dulkys was quoted as saying.

The doses would be sent as humanitarian aid by November 19.

 

 

News

Dismiss