Latvia announces 4-week lockdown to stem COVID-19 transmissions

Latvian Prime Minister Krisjanis Karins announced on Monday that the Baltic country will impose a four-week lockdown as of Oct. 21 to stem the spread of COVID-19, reported Xinhua.

During the lockdown which will last until Nov. 15, people will be ordered to stay at home from 8:00 p.m. till 5:00 a.m., and schools will switch to remote learning.

The decision to introduce the lockdown was taken on Monday by the Crisis Management Council and the government is expected to approve it on Wednesday.

During the lockdown, only stores selling essential goods will remain open. Provision of most services, except for the most essential ones, will be suspended.

Gatherings will be banned during the lockdown and all entertainment, sports and cultural events will be cancelled.

Only employees working in producing sectors will be allowed to work on site, all others will be working from home.

The harsh measures are being taken as Latvia has registered the highest COVID-19 incidence in the world and its number of COVID-19 cases per 100,000 inhabitants hit 1,226.4 Monday.

A state of emergency was declared in Latvia on Oct. 11, but the existing restrictions have proven insufficient to stem the transmission of the virus. Medics have been calling for even tougher restrictions that would reduce in-person contacts by 40 percent.