Masking no longer compulsory in LT
In Lithuaniam, face masks will no longer be compulsory in most indoor environments as of April 4, and will only be compulsory in medical and care facilities and public transport, according to the Ministry of Health. The isolation period for people with Covid-19 will be reduced to five days. In a statement issued on March 30, the ministry noted that although the wearing of masks will not be compulsory, it remains recommended in confined spaces where it is not possible to maintain a safe distance, where there is poor ventilation or where there is a larger gathering of people.
Deputy Health Minister Aušra Bilotienė Motiejūnienė told reporters that the public should assess the risks for themselves and perhaps wear a face mask indoors, especially during events. The same mask-wearing rules are already in place in the Netherlands, the United Kingdom, Belgium, France and will be in force in Latvia from April 1.
Mandatory wearing of masks remains compulsory in Estonia, Greece, Poland, Slovakia, Slovenia, Austria, Spain, Italy and other countries, while it is only recommended in Denmark, Norway, Finland, Sweden, Ireland and Iceland.
In Lithuania, the change was adopted because the currently predominant strain of the coronavirus has a shorter incubation period. The need for longer isolation will be decided by physicians after assessing each patient’s health.
Lithuania recorded 3,355 new coronavirus infections and four deaths from Covid-19 from March 30 to 31. Some 2,850 of the new cases were primary, 503 were secondary and three were third-time infections. The number of Covid-19 patients in hospitals has declined by 40 to 1,136, including 62 ICU cases. The 14-day primary infection rate has fallen further to 1,587 per 100,000 people, with the seven-day percentage of positive tests down to 36.5 percent.
The daily count of new infections had been rising at a rapid pace since late 2021, but took a downward turn in early February after hitting a new high of over 14,000 cases.
Some 69.7 percent of the Lithuanian population have received at least one coronavirus vaccination so far.
As of March 30 there were 2,867 new cases in the province of Ontario (population 14.8 million). COVID-19 hospitalizations in Ontario have risen by more than 23 per cent compared to a week ago, when restrictions were lifted.
