RIGA, June 30 (Xinhua) -- Latvia further relaxed its COVID-19 restrictions Tuesday, lifting the requirement to wear face coverings on public transport and allowing public gatherings of up to 1,000 people starting July 1, the government informed.
COVID-19 rules for foodservice providers are also being eased as there are no longer limits on the number of people allowed to sit at one table in cafes and restaurants.
According to information released by the Health Ministry, after the state of emergency over the pandemic ended on June 9, the spread of COVID-19 continued to slow in Latvia and the improved epidemiological situation allowed for easing more precautionary measures imposed to curb the spread of the coronavirus disease.
Health Minister Ilze Vinkele noted at a news conference that the face mask requirement on public transport should have been made optional already earlier.
"It was a mistake to maintain this requirement for so long, as we saw that local COVID-19 transmissions were declining," Vinkele said, adding that this was her personal opinion.
The minister said that Latvia's epidemiological indicators are very encouraging at the moment, as the 14-day cumulative number of COVID-19 cases is currently 0.9 per 100,000 inhabitants in contrast to Europe's average of 16 cases per 100,000 inhabitants.
While local outbreaks have not been recorded in Latvia for more than four weeks, 40 percent of the new infections confirmed over the past couple of weeks have been imported cases.
On Tuesday, the government also decided to allow outdoor gatherings of up to 3,000 people from Aug. 1 on the condition that a space of at least four square meters is provided for each person.
If the number of COVID-19 cases starts growing again, restrictions will be reimposed, the Health Ministry warned, urging the public to exert caution. Enditem
