The Lithuanian government has discussed a proposal to limit the size of groups in public places to two people, down from the current limit of five, and impose a ban on advertising discounts and sales to stem the spread of the coronavirus.
According to the Acting Health Minister Aurelijus Veryga, the proposal came after crowds of people gathered to watch the Christmas lights in Lithuania’s major cities over the weekend.
The possible ban on ads comes in response after the Lithuanian media have reported that shopper flows in large shopping centres in Vilnius have been significantly higher on recent weekends than before the second quarantine, making it impossible to ensure the required distances.
Read more: Lithuania to extend quarantine until mid-December, mulls restrictions on shopping centres
Veryga said the coronavirus situation in Lithuania "remains very difficult”.
"We see that the number of cases in Lithuania remains really high. We are observing some stabilisation trends, but there's no decrease yet," he said.
A total of 61,325 people have tested positive for the coronavirus in Lithuania since the start of the pandemic. Some 46,378 people are still ill and 14,211 have recovered.
Read more: Crowding around Christmas lights will lead to spike in infections, say Lithuanian health officials
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