Lithuania increases isolation period to 14 days, reversing earlier cut

Lithuania has reverted to the mandatory 14-day isolation period for people who had close contacts with a person infected with the coronavirus.

In October, the government cut the isolation time to 10 days in cases of people testing negative for Covid-19. However, the rising number of new infections has led the authorities to reverse the rule, according to the country’s Health Ministry.

Under the new rules, self-isolation can be shortened to 10 days after a negative Covid-19 test only for medics, employees of pharmacies operating in medical institutions, as well as for officers of the State Border Guard Service (VSAT), customs officials, civilian and military workers employed in the country’s defence system, and firefighters and rescuers, officers protecting the country's leadership.

Isolation can also be shortened for the president, his advisers, other top-level government officials and their staff, and also Lithuania’s diplomatic workers.

All others are required to self-isolate for two weeks after the day of coming into contact with a confirmed coronavirus case.

Second quarantine in Lithuania | D. Umbraso / LRT nuotr.

What is considered a close contact?

The country’s National Public Health Centre (NVSC) has previously issued guidelines on what is considered a close contact.

According to the NVSC, close contacts are people who have interacted with an infected person within three days before the first symptoms appeared and two weeks after.

In cases where there are no symptoms, the period is three days before the diagnosis to 14 days after the positive test result.

Someone is considered a high-risk contact if they have been within two metres of an infected person for longer than 15 minutes, or have come into direct physical contact, for example, shaken hands.

The same applies to anyone who has been in contact with the bodily fluids of an infected person – for example, was sneezed on – according to the NVSC.

A person is also considered at a high risk of infection if they have spent more than 15 minutes inside a closed space with an infected person, but only if the necessary safety measures were not used – for example, people were not wearing facemasks, according to the NVSC.