Pointing towards the sharp surge of Covid-19 infection cases, Latvian Minister of Health Daniels Pavļuts called for tougher restrictions at the Monday, 4 October meeting of the coalition.
The minister reported on Twitter that the Covid-19 situation in Latvia continues getting worse. «The number of hospitalized people exceeded 500 last Friday and 588 today. I have asked the prime minister to put the topic of tighter restrictions on the discussion table.»
Latvian Physicians Association and Latvian Junior Doctors Association urge the government to act and adopt tighter Covid-19 restrictions.
They also write: «We have to put a stop to the infection among non-vaccinated people.»
The minister reports that it is planned to reach out to experts and Crisis Management Council secretariat and assess whether there is a need to declare a state of emergency, ensure maximum remote work operations and limit service-provision to green regime only.
Pavļuts notes that it is necessary to tighten restrictions in education and other fields. Hospitals, he said, should brace for the worst.
«We cannot afford to postpone adoption of new restrictions any more because of political indecisiveness, fear of protests and interests of industries.»
LĀB wrote in its statement to the press: «We have found that the country’s healthcare system is immensely overloaded; there is a real risk of collapse. The consequences of this will be felt by Covid-19 patients and potentially every Latvian citizen.»
«We have to stop living with illusions about Covid-19 and the extent of human resources in Latvia’s hospitals.»
Doctors stress: «If immediate and radical decisions are not made soon, the possible overload and collapse of Latvia’s healthcare system is a matter of weeks. Considering the latest epidemiological data, we have to conclude that the delayed reaction has already caused uncontrolled spreading of the virus among the population.»
«At the same time, it is necessary to push vaccination efforts forward, especially when it comes to risk groups. Wider vaccination efforts will not have an immediate effect – we have to wait for the long term. The decisions regarding compulsory vaccination are correct. Unfortunately, they came too late,» doctors say.
«We once again urge residents to vaccinate.»
«Vaccination is not only the most effective way to prevent Covid-19 for individuals but also prevent the best way to prevent people around us safe. Let’s be reasonable! The possible collapse of the healthcare system is a threat to people’s health and lives in the event of other illnesses or injuries.»
Latvian minister of health and physicians call for much tougher restrictions
