On Thursday, 6 January, Latvia’s government plans to decide on letting all children of pre-school age and children aged 12 or older who don’t have a valid Covid-19 vaccination or recovery certificate participate in sports activities.
Currently only students and sports workers who have a valid Covid-19 vaccination/recovery certificate are allowed to participate in group sports exercises indoors. This also applies to students aged 12 years or older who have undergone a routine screening test as part of formal education.
Pre-school children and children aged 12 years or older who do not have a valid certificate are not allowed to participate in sports activities.
The government in Latvia plans to permit students aged 12 year or older and who do not have a valid Covid-19 certificate but who have undergo routine screening as part of their formal education to participate in indoor sports activities. These students will need to present a valid testing certificate or a laboratory notice for a negative test result performed in the last 72 hours.
Pre-school age children will be allowed to participate in indoor sports activities. However, their sports activities should not overlap with older students’ sports activities. If activities overlap, children of pre-school age have to under go an antigen test with their parents present at least 24 hours prior to doing sports. Results of tests have to be reported to people responsible for organising sports activities. In the event of being tested negative, the child, his or her parents or guardian will need to leave the location where sports take place.
To reduce the risk of Covid-19 infection for children, no more than 20 children will be allowed to participate in sports activities in a single group. Locker room capacity is not allowed to exceed 25%.
As for sports events and competition, only persons who have primary vaccination, booster vaccination or recovery certificate, as well as students who have undergone Covid-19 test as part of screening efforts in school will be allowed to participate. Children of pre-school age will be allowed to participate in sports competition only if they undergo an antigen self-test in their parents’ presence and as long as the test result turns out negative.
Testing costs are covered by hobby group or education programme organisers, not the parents of participating children.
Latvian government may permit all children participate in sports without Covid-19 certificate
