Residents in Latvia will need to do a fast Covid-19 test to enter healthcare institutions

Because of the epidemiological situation in Latvia, to enter healthcare institutions residents – vaccinated and non-vaccinated – will have to take a fast Covid-19 antigen test, according to the report by the Ministry of Health approved by the government on Tuesday, 26 October.
This system is planned to be adopted from 1 November onward and it will remain in force for the entire state of emergency – until 11 January 2022.
The Ministry of Health predicts it is likely the rapid spread of Covid-19 will soon extend to healthcare institutions, which will likely limit accessibility of healthcare services and increase the number of lethal outcomes from non-infectious diseases that could have been prevented.
The ministry believes it is necessary to adopt additional epidemiological safety requirements for all visitors of healthcare institutions.
It is also planned for ambulance brigades to perform Covid-19 tests when dispatched for emergencies. This is intended to determine if a potential patient is infected with Covid-19 and take measures accordingly.
Read also: A look at mortality among Covid-19 vaccinated and non-vaccinated people in Latvia
Covid-19 testing of visitors of outpatient facilities will require financing of EUR 5 264 338. Between 1st and 11th January 2022 it will be necessary to allocated an additional amount of EUR 1 867 998.
Covid-19 testing of ambulance patients will use the 10 000 antigen tests that were donated by Riga Eastern Clinical University Hospital. Between 20 November 2021 and 11 January 2022 NMPD will receive an additional 21 600 antigen tests from the National Defence Logistics and Procurement Centre.
The report mentions a number of activities related to providing antigen testing to healthcare institutions. The Ministry of Health plans to prepare and submit to the government an action plan for provision of financing from the state budget programme for emergencies. The requested funding for the remainder of 2021 is EUR 5 264 338.