Lithuania: Health officials extend coronavirus disease-related measures until at least Feb. 28 /update 19

Lithuania extends coronavirus disease-related restrictions until at least Feb. 28; significant business and travel disruptions continue.

Event

As part of ongoing efforts to combat the spread of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19), authorities in Lithuania have extended domestic and international entry restrictions until at least Feb. 28. Domestic measures that remain in force include:

Individuals may leave their home for essential purposes, including shopping for groceries, essential work, going for a walk in open spaces only with members of their household, and for health or other urgent reason.
Travel between municipalities is banned except for limited essential purposes. Authorities have set up a number of police roadblocks to enforce the travel ban.
Meetings between households are prohibited.
All nonessential shops and businesses must close.
Most educational facilities will switch to distance learning.

International Entry Restrictions
Under most circumstances, citizens and residents of the European Economic Area (EEA), Switzerland, the UK, Andorra, Monaco, San Marino, and Vatican City are permitted to enter Lithuania. Most travel from other countries remains restricted. Additionally, Lithuanian health officials maintain a list of "affected countries," individuals arriving from such countries must produce evidence of a negative COVID-19 test taken within the 48 hours prior to arrival, or take a test within 24 hours of arrival, and self-isolate for 14 days. The self-isolation period can be reduced if the traveler takes a COVID-19 test returning a negative result on or after the 10th day of self-isolation. As of Jan. 25, almost all areas are designated as "affected countries" except for Finland, Greece, and Norway (excluding the counties of Oslo, Viken, and Rogaland).

Additionally, health officials are enforcing stricter self-isolation requirements for travelers from countries where new variants of COVID-19 are active. As of Jan. 25, this includes Brazil, Ireland, Israel, Denmark, Netherlands, South Africa, and the UK. Such travelers are not permitted to leave their place of self-isolation except for urgent medical reasons, to attend a funeral, if they are changing their place of isolation, or if they are leaving the country; all such movements will require prior permission from the National Public Health Centre (NVSC).

Travelers who possess a medical certificate confirming they have been fully vaccinated against COVID-19 or that they have had COVID-19 within the 90 days prior to entry are exempt from the requirement to self-isolate. All individuals arriving in Lithuania via public or private transport must register online with the NVSC at least 24 hours before arrival; this does not apply to persons transiting by air and remaining airside for the duration of their layovers.

Authorities could reimpose, extend, further ease, or otherwise amend any restrictions with little-to-no notice depending on disease activity over the coming weeks.