Lithuania: Authorities to ease coronavirus disease-related restrictions on businesses, from Feb. 15 /update 20

Lithuania will ease coronavirus disease-related business restrictions Feb. 15; significant business and travel disruptions remain.

Event

Lithuania will ease restrictions on some businesses that were imposed to slow the spread of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) from Feb. 15. Nonessential businesses with a floor space not exceeding 300 square meters will be permitted to reopen. These stores must also have a separate street-level entrance for customer use only. Newsagents, outdoor kiosks, veterinary clinics, and optometrists are among the businesses permitted to reopen.

However, authorities previously extended numerous domestic and international entry restrictions until Feb. 28. Domestic measures that remain in force include:

Individuals must remain at home; exceptions are permitted for grocery shopping, essential work, exercise in the company household members, and for medical or other urgent reasons.
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 remain prohibited.
Most educational facilities have switched to distance learning.

International Entry Restrictions
As of Feb. 8, all travelers entering Lithuania must complete a passenger questionnaire and present evidence of a negative COVID-19 test taken within 48 hours prior to arrival, or take a test within 24 hours after arrival. Regardless of the test result, all travelers must 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 tenth day of self-isolation. Residents of the European Economic Area (EEA), Switzerland, the UK, Andorra, Monaco, San Marino, and the Vatican City are permitted to walk up to 1 km (0.6 miles) from their place of self-isolation. Travelers from all other countries are not permitted to leave self-isolation except in the case of a medical emergency or other urgent reason.

Additionally, health officials are enforcing stricter self-isolation requirements for travelers from countries where new variants of COVID-19 are active including Brazil, Ireland, Israel, Denmark, the Netherlands, South Africa, and the UK. Such travelers are not permitted to leave their place of self-isolation except to seek emergency medical attention, or for a limited list of other urgent reasons; all non-emergency movements 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.

Advice

Follow all official instructions. Abide by national health and safety measures. Reconfirm all travel arrangements. Consider delaying traveling if experiencing symptoms associated with COVID-19, as they may prompt increased scrutiny and delays. Liaise with trusted contacts for further updates and guidance. Maintain contact with your diplomatic representation. Ensure contingency plans account for further disruptive measures or extensions of current restrictions.