At an extraordinary sitting on Tuesday, 10 November, the Saeima reviewed and approved the government Decision on declaring a state of emergency due to the rapid spread of COVID-19 and the increasing risk of overloading the healthcare system. 

According to the Decision, the state of emergency is to be declared in the entire country until 6 December.

Several restrictive measures have been established for the duration of the state of emergency, including postponing and prohibiting all on-site public events. The prohibition does not apply to outdoor meetings, demonstrations and pickets attended by up to 50 participants.

Private gatherings of not more than 10 people from not more than two households at the same time are allowed. At funerals, not more than 10 people but from more than two househols at the same time are allowed to come together.

Beauty treatment (except for the hairdresser services), piercing, and tattooing services, and commercial services related to entertainment and well-being, are prohibited as well. The prohibition applies to bars, nightclubs, discotheques, water parks, bathhouses, SPAs, skating-rinks, casinos, venues for children's parties, entertainment and amusement centres, and other venues. According to the Decision, the prohibition does not apply to nature trails. Public catering facilities, however, may only provide take-away meals.

The Decision provides that the business hours of cultural sites, exhibition sites, sports sites, sites where religious activities are performed shall open after 6:00 and closeby 20:00, except for sports centres which may be open till 22:00.

In addition, only the following types of shops may operate on weekends and public holidays in all shopping centres: grocery stores, pharmacies, including veterinary pharmacies, optical shops, pet shops, bookshops, newsagent's, shops for hygiene and household products, sites for telecommunication goods and services, and pick-up of remotely purchased goods.

According to the Decision, on-site learning is suspended in all educational institutions and shall be ensured remotely. This does not apply to pre-school education programmes and general education programmes from grade 1 to grade 6. Practical work of vocational education programmes, as well as practical work of higher education programmes, required for obtaining professional skills or qualifications and which cannot be carried out remotely, may be performed on site.

Full text of the Decision on the state of emergency in Latvian: https://titania.saeima.lv/LIVS13/saeimalivs_lmp.nsf/webSasaiste?OpenView&restricttocategory=484/Lm13

Saeima Press Service