The decision was taken in line with the newest recommendations from the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control, as well as the necessity to ensure enough workforce during the rapid spread of Covid-19 Omicron.
The shortened quarantine does not apply to unvaccinated persons, who must still be in quarantine for 14 days.
Vaccinated and recovered persons who have been in contact with Covid-19 can choose one of the following:
- observe quarantine for 10 days;
- perform a laboratory test as soon as possible and if the result is negative, the person can continue working onsite using FFP2 respirators and perform another test in 3 or 4 days;
- continue working onsite performing a rapid antigen test for seven days every time before going to work.
Covid-19 positive persons should observe the following:
- go into isolation after performing either a rapid test or a lab test; on the 8th day, the person may resume working onsite if there have been no symptoms of the illness in the past 24 hours;
- employees in sectors critical to society (healthcare, transport, emergency and utility services) must be in isolation for three days and if there have been no symptoms in 24 hours, a laboratory test must be performed. If it is negative, the person can continue working onsite.
In both cases the person must wear an FFP2 respirator at work and avoid close contact with other people.
Pupils and kindergarteners who have been identified as contact persons can either observe 10-day quarantine or continue going to the educational establishment with a daily rapid antigen test. Children infected with Covid-19 can go back to school or kindergarten on the 8th day if there have been no symptoms of the illness over the past 24 hours.
In a media briefing after the government meeting, Health Minister Daniels Pavļuts said that more detailed explanations would be provided to employers.
