Shortened working hours of cafes and bars
The resolution provides for the regulation of trade services, organization of leisure events, including gambling houses and slot machines, bingo halls, and betting outlets. These facilities will also be subject to the flow management, safe distance and other necessary measures established by the State-level Emergency Operations Guide to prevent the spread of coronavirus infection in these areas.
According to the Minister of the Interior Rita Tamašunienė, the Government Resolution also established mandatory registration of visitors to leisure and entertainment events, catering and other places.
‘The proposed amendment will make it possible to better ensure the main tool for infection control - the traceability of contact persons and their isolation. This measure will allow better identification of the chain of infection transmission and organization of the epidemiological research process, ‘said the Minister of the Interior Rita Tamašunienė
It was noticed that insufficient means make it very difficult to trace contacts in gathering places, especially bars, nightclubs and other places of entertainment that attract large groups of visitors. This results in a lengthy process of epidemiological research and, in particular, an increased workload for research professionals.
It is noted that visitor registration will not be carried out when food is delivered for take-away or delivered to natural and legal persons by other means. Registration will also not be compulsory for employees of catering establishments where shift work is carried out.
The draft amendment to the Government Resolution shortens the working hours of catering establishments, restaurants, cafes, bars, nightclubs and other entertainment venues: these establishments will be open from 7 am to midnight.
Restrictions on working hours will not apply in cases where food is prepared for take-away or delivered in other way, where catering is provided to employees of establishments carrying out shift work on the premises of these establishments. Opening hours will not be restricted at casino and slot machines, bingo halls, betting outlets, unless catering is provided at these locations.
Remote learning for one week
Changes are also envisaged in the field of organization and implementation of educational activities. The government has agreed that basic and secondary education programs should be conducted remotely starting after the autumn school break and until 8th November.
Primary school students will continue their learning process in schools after a week-long holiday, except in municipalities where quarantine has been announced or in schools where the infection control regime is in place.
Later, as of 9th November, pre-school education, general education, non-formal education of children and adults, vocational training, higher education studies will be carried out, ensuring measures of the management of the flow of persons, the maintenance of safe distance and other necessary conditions for the protection of public health, hygiene and the provision of persons with the necessary personal protective equipment established by State-level Emergency Operations Guide.
The principles of compiling the list of affected countries are also changing. This list includes the countries where a 14-day morbidity rate exceeds the corresponding morbidity rate of the Republic of Lithuania by 10% or more. Additional epidemiological criteria (testing coverage rate, percentage of positive test results, availability of information, hospitalization rate) also need to be assessed when listing third countries.
“Given the rapidly changing situation in Lithuania and the world, it is necessary to quickly and flexibly respond to the latest epidemiological situation. With the increase of infection cases in Lithuania, it is expedient to include in the list of affected countries only the countries where the risk of coronavirus infection is higher than in Lithuania, ‘ said the Minister of the Interior Rita Tamašunienė.
Information of the Ministry of the Interior of the Republic of Lithuania
