Due to disagreements, it is not agreed on a mandatory Covid-19 test for immigrants in Latvia (specified) / Article

Clarification

The government did not postpone the issue of a mandatory Covid-19 test before entering Latvia, but did not agree on this request from the Ministry of Health.

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VM The proposal provided that all immigrants would need to have a Covid-19 laboratory before entering Latvia test. The test should be performed no earlier than 72 hours before entering Latvia, and the result should be presented before boarding a regular passenger transport vehicle. This requirement would not apply to private passenger transport.

Health Minister Daniel Pavluts (“Development / For!”) Called on colleagues to support the implementation of this proposal for at least a couple of weeks, during which time experts should be clear about the dangers of the new Covid-19 omicron.

The Minister of Transport Tālis Linkaits (New Conservative Party) emphasized that the Ministry of Transport (SM) did not oppose the testing of immigrants, but that the Covid-19 test should be performed abroad before boarding a vehicle. Such a requirement would be an additional burden, and it is not possible to carry out the test in all countries within the set deadlines.

The Minister of Transport encouraged to perform such tests after arrival in Latvia – at the airport “Riga”. In addition, according to Linkinkait, it can be determined that the test does not have to be performed by everyone, but at random. The Minister of Culture, Nauris Puntulis (National Association), opposed it, calling for a mandatory Covid-19 test.

Meanwhile, Pavluts pointed out that in that case there would definitely be crowding and queues at the test sites at Riga Airport, which in turn is a risk for the spread of Covid-19. “This is not what we want the airport to do,” said the health minister, noting that the VM also called for the test to be carried out in advance – before boarding, without putting other travelers at risk.

As half of the ministers present at the Cabinet meeting supported the proposal of the MoD, but the other half tended to support the MoU’s proposal, no agreement was reached.

The Cabinet of Ministers alone agreed that everyone has the opportunity to take a free test voluntarily after entering Riga Airport.

At the press conference after the government meeting, the Minister of Health acknowledged that the Ministry of Health would assess all the circumstances and decide whether to continue to insist on its proposal for a mandatory Covid-19 test for travelers before entering Latvia. Minister of Finance Jānis Reirs (“New Unity”) did not rule out the possibility that the government could return to the issue of mandatory Covid-19 tests for migrants as the epidemiological situation changes.

CONTEXT

Scientists in the Republic of South Africa said on November 25 that they had found out a new variant of the Covid-19 virus with a large number of mutations due to a rapid increase in infections.

In South Africa, the worst affected country in Covid-19, the number of new infections registered in a single day has increased tenfold since the beginning of the month, from 106 to around 1,200.

In response, many countries, including the European Union (EU), have suspended flights from southern Africa. The Government of Latvia has imposed travel restrictions on eight African countries.

Scientists believe the new variant may be more contagious than the Covid-19 virus delta or Indian variant, as well as more resistant to current Covid-19 vaccines. The 15th letter of the Greek alphabet, omicron, is used to denote the new type of virus.

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