On Thursday, 1 October, the Saeima adopted in the second and final reading urgent amendments to the Law on the Management of the Spread of COVID-19 Infection. The Law provides for the use of a new information system to reduce the threat of COVID-19 spreading and to ensure the monitoring of persons in home quarantine or isolation.

As the rates of COVID-19 cases rise worldwide, it is necessary to develop a personal surveillance information system that will help the Centre for Disease Prevention and Control in conducting epidemiological investigations, and the Health Inspectorate in supervising compliance with epidemiological requirements and monitoring persons. As stated in the summary of the Draft Law, the system will also support the work of the State Police and the municipal police, as well as aid the Health Inspectorate in ensuring the supervision of persons.

The amount of information to be included, the procedure for the inclusion and the term of storage thereof, as well as the institutions to be granted access to the information included in the system, shall be determined by the Cabinet of Ministers.

The amendments will impose an obligation on all persons entering Latvia to include the relevant information in the surveillance information system. Two to 400 fine units (ranging from EUR 10 to EUR 2,000) shall be applicable for failure to fulfil the obligation. Employees of the State Police, the municipal police, and the State Border Guard will have the right to stop vehicles to check whether this obligation has been fulfilled if there is reason to believe that the person in the vehicle is under such obligation.

In order to ensure full operation of the mobile application "Stop COVID", including its interoperability with similar contact tracing systems in other European Union countries, a contact tracing and alert information system will be introduced, as set out in the amendments. The Cabinet shall also determine the amount of information to be included in this system and the procedure thereof, the extent and procedure of the exchange of the information, as well as the term of storage of the information.

The new regulations will come into force on 12 October.

Saeima Press Service