Minister of Transport Tālis Linkaits (JKP) calls on local governments to evaluate the possibility of helping low-income residents with the purchase of face masks, he said on Tuesday after the sitting of the Cabinet of Ministers (CM).
On Tuesday, the Cabinet of Ministers supported the amendments to the Cabinet of Ministers’ regulations on the procedure for providing and using public transport services, which stipulate that public transport controllers, conductors and bus drivers will have the right to disembark or refuse passengers who do not wear mouth and nose covers.
Linkaits urged residents to prepare and put on a face mask in good time when driving by regional transport, as well as to keep it on for the entire duration of the trip, otherwise the driver, conductor or controller will have the right not to allow or disembark the vehicle.
“I call on the public to treat these restrictions responsibly and to understand that it is in our own interest. I do not call for conflict, urges controllers and conductors to resort to extreme means and sit down,” the minister said, adding that the use of masks would protect ourselves and our fellow human beings.
Linkaits noted as positive the action of the Riga municipality, which the Social Service has stated that it is aware of low-income persons in order to provide them with face masks. “I hope that other municipalities will also help their low-income people by purchasing a hygienic face mask or some other fee,” the minister said.
The Minister of Transport also expressed hope that in the first days there will be a humane attitude towards the new rule, adding that it may be more difficult to buy face masks in remote rural areas.
Linkaits also said that some carriers have already committed to sell masks on buses.
As reported, the amendments supported by the government today stipulate that passengers are obliged to observe the cleanliness and order in the cabin of a public vehicle, as well as to comply with the requirements specified in the regulations on epidemiological restrictions.
In addition, the controller and conductor will have the right to disembark a passenger who does not comply with the requirements of the regulations on epidemiological restrictions by inviting him to disembark voluntarily at the next stop or control point on an urban route. In turn, the bus driver will have the right not to pick up and disembark passengers who would not comply with the requirements specified in the regulations on epidemiological restrictions.
The Ministry of Transport explains that the regulations already stipulate that a child under the age of 15 may be disembarked from a public transport by the ombudsman only if the child is taken to the nearest police station. Accordingly, if a child under the age of 15 uses public transport services without complying with the requirements specified in the regulations on epidemiological restrictions, it will be possible to disembark from a public transport vehicle only for transport to the nearest police station.
LETA has already reported that on Monday, October 5, the government decided at an extraordinary meeting on the mandatory use of a face mask in public transport from Wednesday, October 7.
There are two exceptions at the same time. Given that young children do not have the skills to use a face mask properly and that there is less risk of Covid-19 spreading among children, children under the age of 13 may not be able to use the screen. Similarly, if a passenger has an obvious movement disorder or mental health disorder which results in a person’s lack of ability or skill to use a mouth and nose mask, its use need not be required and the person must be allowed to remain in the vehicle.
Medical, non-medical or hygienic masks, as well as visors and face shields can be used as mouth and nose masks.
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