People are not in a hurry to start using face masks indoors, on Wednesday morning in the center of Riga observed the agency LETA.
As decided by the government, from today, the wearing of face masks is mandatory in a number of public places, including outlets, stations and bus stations.
At Riga Central Railway Station, I will appreciate that a protective mask is put on well if every fifth or fourth person. A slightly better situation was observed in the shopping center “Origo” connected to the station, but there were also masks for most of the visitors on the premises, or they were moved to the neck.
More often, people in protective masks were seen in the “Gallery Center”, where there was also a security guard who quite casually informed the visitors of the shopping center about the need to use face masks. In general, the three institutions did not show that the guards actively encouraged people to wear protective masks, as required by the government decision. A similar situation was observed in smaller shops on Merkela Street.
The guards and shopkeepers themselves, on the other hand, had mostly put on face masks or shields. Also in public transport, where the use of face masks is required for a slightly longer time, there were many more users of masks and few were seen without them.
Meanwhile, as observed by NRA.LV in Limbaži, in supermarkets “Maxima” and “Rimi”, as well as in pharmacies, all people are in masks. Supermarket security guards reprimand customers who do not have a mask, but in the morning some are not even allowed in a store without masks.
The government’s decision stipulates that mouth and nose masks must be used at points of sale – shops, including supermarkets, post offices, petrol stations and other places where sales take place. Their use will also be mandatory at railway stations, bus stations, airports, as well as cultural and religious venues, provided that there is no event organized in fixed, personalized seating.
Mouth and nose masks should also be used, for example, for visitors to museums, exhibition halls, libraries, religious sites, if they have gone there to see a museum exposition, an exhibition, to attend a service or for other similar reasons. However, if an event is held in these places, such as a library or a place of religious activity, where persons are in fixed personalized seating, persons will not have to use mouth and nose covers.
Mouth and nose masks should also be used for staff working in these areas and are not separated from visitors by a physical barrier.
As before, this requirement to wear face masks will not apply to children under 13 years of age. The requirement also does not apply to schools.
It has already been reported that in Latvia for three weeks a rapid increase in the incidence of Covid-19 has been observed.
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