Tighter quarantine rules come into force on Wednesday, as meetings of more than two families are banned, elder schoolchildren move to full-time remote education, and shopping centres are required to step up control of shopper flows.
Lithuania's government decided on Monday to tighten the existing restrictions as the coronavirus infections are not going down. The country is now third in the EU/EEA by the rate of new infections.
Read more: Lithuania third in Europe by coronavirus infections
The new restrictions include:
– Meetings of people from more than two households are banned, unless they are necessary to provide essential assistance or care.
– Parties and personal events in public and private must be limited to 10 people from no more than two households.
– Government and municipal institutions are switching to remote work and servicing clients by phone or via the internet wherever possible.
– Flows of shoppers in shopping centres are further restricted, at least 15 square metres of floorspace must be ensured per shopper in small stores or 30 square metres in big shopping centers (of over 10,000 square metres).
– Car parks near supermarkets, shopping malls, marketplaces and other trading venues will need to be filled at no more than 20 percent of the capacity, excluding parking lots for employees and disabled people.
– All stores, shopping centers, marketplaces and other retailers are recommended to discontinue short-term sales promotion in order to bring down customer flows. Retailers are also asked to increase the number of checkouts to ensure that no more than five people stand in a line, and also extend working hours.
– It is recommended that all shopping be done by one member per household.
– Preschool and primary education will continue in classes, but parents are advised to stay home with their kids if possible.
– Education for elder school students is switching entirely online. Schools are also advised to bring forwards the winter holidays and start them on December 14.
Since Lithuania introduced a nationwide quarantine on November 7, the wearing of facemasks is mandatory in all public spaces, and most public gathering places have been closed.
The measures have been extended until at least December 31.
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