The Lithuanian government's Extreme Situations Commission has recommended to extend restrictions on movement between different municipalities that were set to expire on Sunday.
The ban on leaving the municipality one resides in was introduced on December 16 in an effort to rein in the spread of the coronavirus in Lithuania.
Exceptions apply to movement for work, medical reasons, or to attend the funeral of a close relative. People who own property in a different municipality are also exempt.
“The recommendation [from the Extreme Situations Commission] is to extend restrictions on movement between municipalities until January 31, but there will be a review on January 17 [...] with the possibility to lift the restrictions,” Lina Laurinaitytė-Grigienė, a spokeswoman for the Interior Ministry, told BNS on Sunday.
The commission is an advisory body consisting of all the government ministers and heads of some state institutions.
The government met later on Sunday and adopted the decision.
“The existing figures show that withdrawal would be criminal in some sense as the responsibility is huge and the figures [of coronavirus infections] are growing, the situation is definitely not improving enough for us to say that everything has been done,” Interior Minister Agnė Bilotaitė said during the cabinet sitting.
Over the long weekend Friday to Sunday, 6,054 new coronavirus cases were confirmed and 94 people died. That brings the total death toll from the coronavirus in the country to 1,643. As of Sunday, 2,500 coronavirus patients are being treated in hospitals, including 185 ICU cases. Lithuanian now has almost 67,000 active cases.
Even before the meeting, Defence Minister Arvydas Anušauskas indicated that the restrictions would be extended.
“Will we extend the restrictions on movement that expire today? Unfortunately, we will, with the view to assessing their effects on the pandemic in two weeks.” Anušauskas posted on Facebook.
“What to expect in January? Healthcare workers will be vaccinated, relieving some stress [on health services], and we will finally be able to transition out of the ban zone,” he added.
Police checkpoints were set up during holidays and weekends to enforce the restrictions on non-essential movement. The police said some 36,000 vehicles had been stopped and turned back.
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