Transition to wearing only medical masks and respirators could be implemented in two weeks in Latvia, according to the discussion held by ministers at a government meeting on Tuesday, 11 January.
The director of the State Chancellery and manager of the Operational Management Group explains that because the country has signed contracts for the procurement of medicinal masks, they can be provided to poor persons within the next two weeks. This is why two weeks were picked for the transition period.
At the same time, however, there hasn’t been a nation-wide procurement of FFP2 respirators in Latvia so far.
Jānis Citskovskis explained that such a procurement could take about one and a half years. During this period of time respirators would have to be delivered to poor residents with help from municipal administrations.
As for fast Covid-19 tests, the director of the State Chancellery stressed that more tests could be provided in the next three to four weeks. According to estimates from the Ministry of Health, procurement of tests may cost up to EUR 20 million. At the same time, Citskovskis said there is currently no clear mechanism to organise the distribution of tests among residents.
Read also: Latest Covid-19 cases in Baltics. 2 241 in Latvia, 2 680 in Lithuania, 1 981 in Estonia
Minister of Education and Science Anita Muižniece said if the requirement to wear medical masks and respirators comes to force, it will be necessary to to let schools use up the fabric masks they have procured in advance. Minister of Health Daniels Pavļuts agreed with this. He added that the fabric masks procured by schools should be considered equal to medical masks.
Latvia to change mask-wearing requirement in public places
