Based on the zoning, it is decided which virus spread management recommendations should be provided to a particular municipality. Municipalities are evaluated according to three criteria: 14-day morbidity rate per 100 thousand inhabitants, the percentage of the population that tested positive within 7 days (from those who were tested) and the percentage of cases not associated with outbreaks in 7 days.
Municipalities in three colours
The green zone indicates that the level of coronavirus risk in the participating municipality is low, so it is not necessary to impose additional restrictions. The green zone includes those municipalities where the incidence is less than 25 cases per 100 thousand inhabitants and the percentage of the positive tests per week is less than 4%.
The yellow zone indicates municipalities where the morbidity does not exceed 50 cases per 100 thousand people, positive tests are equal to or greater than 4%, or where the morbidity amounts to 25–150 cases per 100 thousand residents, and less than 4% of the tested population get positive results.
‘Municipalities in red must follow the recommendations and instructions of specialists, they may announce local quarantine, restrict the activities of the population, limit their events, education, introduce mandatory use of personal protective equipment and the maintenance of a safe distance,’ said the Minister of the Interior Rita Tamašunienė.
The Minister of the Interior emphasized that red municipalities are the ones where the morbidity exceeds 50 cases per 100 thousand residents, positive tests amount to 4 percent and more, and the proportion of cases not related to outbreaks or hotspots is 30 percent or more per week.
Moreover, if the morbidity is higher than 150 cases per 100 thousand people and cases not related to outbreaks or hotspots amount to 30% or more per week, such municipality is also considered as red. However, at least 10 cases per week must be registered in the municipality.
Isolation for people returning from red or grey zones
The government has also decided to divide all the countries of the European Union into four groups according to the traffic light principle. The introduced criteria are used to assess the risks, update the list of affected countries, and apply preventive measures.
The main criteria for assessing countries include a 14-day morbidity rate per 100,000 people, percentage of positive tests among the performed tests per week, and scope of testing (number of tests per 100 thousand people) in 7 days.
According to the above-mentioned criteria, EU countries are divided into four colour groups - green, yellow, red and grey.
The green group includes countries with a morbidity of less than 25 cases per 100 residents in the last 14 days and the proportion of positive tests is less than 4%. There are no restrictions for people coming from green zones.
The yellow group consists of countries with a morbidity of less than 50 cases per 100 000 people in the last 14 days, and the proportion of positive tests is 4% or more; or morbidity in the last 14 days ranges from 25 to 150 cases per 100 000 residents and the proportion of positive tests is less than 4%.
Red indicates countries with a morbidity of 50 or more cases per 100 000 residents in the last 14 days, the proportion of positive tests is 4 and more percent; or morbidity is greater than 150 cases per 100 000 people in the last 14 days.
Grey group includes those states whose data are insufficient to assess the above criteria or in which the scope of testing is 300 or less tests per 100 000 people in 7 days.
For those traveling to Lithuania from red and grey areas, various measures are applied: isolation or a coronavirus test is necessary.
Information of the Ministry of the Interior of the Republic of Lithuania