Events will not take place until March
Last week, several Lithuanian municipalities announced one after another that they were banning events indoors. The first was Mažeikiai district municipality.
She announced last Thursday that more rapid preventive measures are being taken as of January 24, given the rapid rise in the number of people with COVID-19 in the area. until March 1. all cultural events indoors are prohibited in the district.
On Friday, three municipalities – Klaipėda, Šilutė and Akmenė districts – announced one after another about prohibited events in closed spaces.
“Until March 1. Budget institutions of Klaipėda district municipality are prohibited from organizing events in closed spaces. The exception is high-quality sports competitions, which can be held indoors, but without spectators.
The installation of artistic or other installations, ordinary rehearsals, trainings, cinema activities (film screening) are not considered events, ”it is written on Facebook in Klaipėda district.
In Šilutė district, the period of prohibitions is much shorter: “We would like to inform you that from January 21. until February 6. all events planned in closed areas in the territory of Šilutė District Municipality, for the organization of which the municipal administration and municipal budgetary institutions are responsible, except for high-performance sports activities without spectators, and formal and non-formal education shall be canceled or postponed. “
Photo of Šilutė district municipality / Šilutė Christmas tree
–
Learning is distance again
The Emergency Operations Center of Akmenė District Municipality decided on January 21, taking into account the rapidly growing number of patients with COVID-19 in the district. until February 28. in this district it is forbidden to perform all cultural and sports events indoors, to perform adult sports training in the gyms located in educational institutions, high-quality sports events can be organized only without spectators.
Learning in this area is also distance again: “January 24-31. 5-12 p.m. to carry out the educational process in Akmenė district educational institutions remotely according to the educational plan. 5-12 p.m. to distribute rapid antigen tests to students for testing on January 30 or 31. before returning to contact education. After returning to contact education, students are tested every other day. Distribute rapid antigen tests for the weekend.
Until the incidence of COVID-19 in Akmenė district municipality decreases, primary school students should be tested every other day. Distribute rapid antigen tests for the weekend.
January 24-31 non-formal and informal learning at a distance and, if not available. “
Expect a slower spread
On Monday, a decision was made at the meeting of the Emergency Operations Center of Varėna District Municipality as of February 1. until March 1. to restrict events taking place indoors in institutions owned by the municipality.
“Other institutions and companies in our area are also invited to contribute to this initiative by limiting mass gatherings. It is expected that the new COVID-19 variety will spread more slowly in the district if the events are restricted, and thus the residents of Varėna district will be protected, ”the municipal report said.
Photo of Varėna district municipality / Varėna Christmas tree
–
Other municipalities are refraining from similar decisions, at least for the time being, although in some of them the number of infections is much higher than that of the municipalities listed above, which have banned the events.
Vilnius is thinking about the consequences
The big cities do not intend to set an example in this area yet – none of them has announced such restrictions yet. Kaunas Municipality did not discuss the ban on events, moreover, the events of Kaunas 2022 – European Capital of Culture started here over the weekend.
The Klaipeda City Municipality Administration also discussed the possibility of banning the events on Friday. However, he did not dare to take a decision to ban the events because he felt he had no legal power to do so. The municipality only recommends abstaining from such events.
Vilnius City Municipality does not plan such drastic measures yet.
Without official quarantine, there is no possibility of compensating the cultural sector for the damage caused by the ban on events.
“We are following the pandemic situation, as well as the recommendations of the Ministry of Health (SAM). Although the quarantine has not been announced in the country, it would not be difficult, of course, to cancel and ban cultural events, but we must also think about the psychological consequences for people and the financial sector for the cultural sector.
Without official quarantine, there is no possibility of compensating the cultural sector for the damage caused by the ban on events. And more importantly, people are tired and they do not have to expect that if they ban the events, they will not look for other entertainment or gather in private spaces, ”said Lina Koriznienė, Director of the Vilnius Municipal Administration.
According to her, outdoor events must survive because “they pose the least threat of a pandemic and allow people to live at a normal pace.”
“Pandemic numbers are high, but fortunately the hospital employment and death curves are not growing as fast as the number of new infections, so there is no basis for introducing quarantine, even spot, yet. However, we will follow the official recommendations of the Ministry of Health, ”said L. Koriznienė.
There will be no remote either
The transition to full distance education is not being considered in Vilnius in the near future. According to Alina Kovalevskaya, the chief adviser to the municipal administration, “during this difficult period, it is important to maintain a balance between ensuring the educational process, security and maintaining the psychological state of children”.
Photo by 123RF.com / Distance Learning
–
“We note that schools have the tool to apply an infection-limiting regimen in individual classes or streams and to apply distance learning only in individual classes.
Of course, educational institutions communicate with the school community, follow the situation inside the educational institution and make decisions that are most suitable for the specific institution and situation, ”said A. Kovalevskaja.
According to Monday’s data, there were 211 employees in self-isolation and 453 employees in COVID-19 in Vilnius city educational institutions (general and pre-school); 2,554 children / pupils in self-isolation and 2,451 children / pupils with COVID-19.
SAM does not prohibit anything
SAM has not yet issued more stringent recommendations for indoor events.
“No changes are planned yet, the minimum conditions specified for the events apply in this decision of the Head of Operations‘, SAM explained by referring to the decision.
However, for a week now, from 17 January, all spectators and participants over the age of 6 and event attendants must wear at least an FFP2 respirator indoors throughout the event in order to control the spread of the ultra-fast-spreading coronavirus strain. , close to the face and completely covering the nose and mouth.
The Minister of Health Arūnas Dulkys has said that the general procedure, advice and requirements have been established, but that each community has the opportunity to make decisions with a better knowledge of its situation.
He praised the decisions of district municipalities to ban events indoors for a while: “And I think they are doing the right thing, because everyone feels the capacity of all organizations, the health system, the situation is very dynamic, changing, such a response is very welcome.”
–
