Lithuania: Government to begin to ease COVID-19 lockdown measures from April 23 /update 6

Event

On Wednesday, April 22, Lithuanian authorities announced that they will begin to relax current restrictions introduced amid the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak starting on Thursday, April 23. On Thursday, shops and malls will be allowed to resume operations, and businesses such as hairdressers, museums, libraries, and golf courses will be allowed to reopen starting on Monday, April 27; however, they will be required to enforce social distancing measures upon reopening, such as restricting the number of customers to one person per ten square meters (32 square feet). The government also announced that the full relaxation of lockdown measures, originally set to take place on April 27, will be delayed until Monday, May 11.

On Wednesday, April 8, the government announced that the existing border controls and nationwide restrictions, set to expire on Monday, April 13, would be extended for an additional two weeks through April 27. Under the initial decree, Lithuania closed its borders to foreign citizens and prohibited Lithuanian nationals from leaving the country. Exceptions will be made for drivers and crew members in the case of commercial or international goods transportation, as well as for military and diplomatic staff. Individuals arriving from foreign countries will be subject to a 14-day mandatory quarantine.

On Wednesday, April 1, Health Minister Aurelijus Veryga announced that air and sea passenger travel will be suspended from Saturday, April 4. Exemptions have been made for the Kiel (Germany) - Klaipeda ferry routes or with special authorization from the Lithuanian government. The transportation of goods will be not affected and repatriation flights may continue to operate. 

As of April 22, there have been 1370 confirmed COVID-19 cases nationwide, including 38 associated fatalities. Further international spread of COVID-19 is expected over the near term.

Context

The first case of COVID-19 was reported on December 31 and the source of the outbreak has been linked to a wet market in Wuhan (Hubei province, China). Human-to-human and patient-to-medical staff transmission of the virus have been confirmed. Many of the associated fatalities have been due to pneumonia caused by the virus.

Cases of the virus have been confirmed in numerous countries and territories worldwide. Virus-screening and quarantining measures are being implemented at airports worldwide, as well as extensive travel restrictions. On March 11, the World Health Organization (WHO) declared the global outbreak a pandemic.

Pneumonia symptoms include dry cough, chest pain, fever, and trouble breathing. Pneumonia can be contagious and can be transmitted from human to human. The influenza virus, or the flu, is a common cause of viral pneumonia.

Advice

Measures adopted by local authorities evolve quickly and are usually effective immediately. Depending on the evolution of the outbreak in other countries, authorities are likely to modify, at very short notice, the list of countries whose travelers are subject to border control measures or entry restrictions upon their arrival to the territory in question. It is advised to postpone nonessential travel due to the risk that travelers may be refused entry or be subject to quarantine upon their arrival or during their stay.

To reduce the risk of COVID-19 transmission, travelers are advised to abide by the following measures:

• Frequently clean hands by applying an alcohol-based hand rub or washing with soap and water.
• When coughing and sneezing, cover mouth and nose with a flexed elbow or tissue; if used, throw the tissue away immediately and wash hands.
• If experiencing a fever, cough, difficulty breathing, or any other symptoms suggestive of respiratory illness, including pneumonia, call emergency services before going to the doctor or hospital to prevent the potential spread of the virus.