Estonia will not be able to revoke Covid-19 certificates from February 21, as hospitals still have to admit too many coronavirus patients, Prime Minister Kaja Kallas said on Thursday.
As previously reported, the government agreed that the use of the Covid-19 certificate could be lifted from 21 February, three days before Estonia’s Independence Day, if less than 25 new coronavirus patients were admitted to hospital in the previous ten days. day.
However, as the Prime Minister emphasized, it is already clear that this will not be achieved, as the current figure is 39 patients a day.
“It must be understood. The healthcare system is already under a very heavy burden – both patients and hospital staff are sick,” she added.
According to Kallas, political wrestling, in which everyone wants to be the first to announce the good news of deregulation, is having a negative effect on public behavior.
“It’s a big problem that everyone wants to turn out to be the good people who announce that the restrictions are being lifted. This has led to slower vaccination rates, because it doesn’t seem so important to people if the restrictions are soon gone. But get vaccinated. need to prevent the disease, “recalled the head of government.
She referred to the Health Department’s forecasts that, despite the expected reduction in morbidity in the coming weeks, hospital workloads will increase as the omicron strain of the virus reaches the elderly.
“The number of severely ill Covid-19 patients in hospitals is approaching three hundred, and the Department of Health predicts it will reach five hundred in mid-February,” Callas warned.
She also added that there was no reason to compare Estonia with Denmark, which had lifted the restrictions.
“More than 80% of the population in Denmark has been vaccinated, and more than 60% in Estonia. 61% have received the primary vaccine and 31% in Estonia. Denmark can afford to take risks because people will not get sick so badly as to overload the hospital network.” prime minister.
The Estonian government on Thursday approved an order that the Covid-19 certificate will no longer be required to be presented at outdoor cultural, sporting and production events from Monday, February 14, but that organizers will be required to prevent overcrowding and face masks in the event of a large number of participants. wearing. Covid-19 certificates for minors will also be revoked on the same day.
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