The Lithuanian government' attempt to manage the second wave of the coronavirus pandemic with local quarantines was a mistake, outgoing Health Minister Aurelijus Veryga has admitted.
“I believe we made a mistake when we thought – and Lithuania was not the only one to do so – that local lockdowns would be sufficient,” he told LRT RADIO on Thursday.
Read more: Tighter quarantine rules come into force in Lithuania
The minister insisted, however, that Lithuania's failure to contain the spread of infections was primarily due to people not following requirements and recommendations.
“I disagree with statements that the government has not taken action,” he said. “I don't know if it is rational to shut down the country completely, the way it was done last spring, because that has other consequences.”
These include limited access to medical services, deteriorating mental health and even an uptick of suicides, he said.
The government eventually introduced a nationwide quarantine on November 7. This week, it extended the measure until at least December 31 and tightened some restrictions.
However, Prime Minister-designate Ingrida Šimonytė has called on the outgoing cabinet to further tighten quarantine restrictions, but PM Saulius Skvernelis said there was no need for it.
Lithuania set yet another daily record for new coronavirus cases with 3,330 infections reported on Thursday morning.
Thirty-one new fatalities were registered, bringing the country’s coronavirus death toll to 735.
A total of 83,883 people have tested positive for the coronavirus in Lithuania so far. The country currently has 47,810 active cases and 34,975 recoveries.
Read more: ‘It's mockery, not quarantine’ – health experts slam Lithuania's measures as inadequate
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