COVID Update
As of April 16th, almost a fifth of Lithuania’s population has received at least one dose of a coronavirus vaccine, according to the latest figures from the country’s statistics service, Statistics Lithuania. About 546,300 people have received the first shot. The percentage stands at 58.3 in the 70-79 age group, followed by 46% among those over 80, and 36.5% in the 60-69 age group. In other age groups, vaccination rates range from several to several dozen percent.
Some 204,500 people, or 7.3% of the population, have been fully vaccinated with two doses.
Lithuanian has so far received a total of 806,525 vaccines and has used 750,833 of them.
Lithuania’s 14-day coronavirus infection rate stood at 493.9 per 100,000 people, as of April 16.
Overall, 231,601 people have tested positive for COVID-19 in Lithuania since the start of the pandemic. A total of 3,739 people have died from COVID-19 in Lithuania so far
The Lithuanian Bishops’ Conference announced that churches in Lithuania will resume services with people in attendance beginning on April 18. The decision was made “taking into account a growing number of people with immunity and vaccinated people, as well as the recent decisions to allow various establishments to resume operation”. Churches will still be required to ensure a space of at least 15 square metres per person. Worshipers must still comply with covid safety practices, wear face masks, disinfect hands and keep a safe distance. Church services with live attendance were suspended on December 16 and the majority of municipalities began resuming them in mid-February.
Lithuanian Prime Minister Ingrida Simonyte thanked the Catholic Church for helping to bring COVID-19 under control and spoke of the need to ensure that the government’s easing of restrictions and the Church’s decision to resume services with people in attendance do not worsen the situation.
With news from LRT.lt
