Face masks compulsory in public places in Latvia

The new measures were decided following a meeting of the national crisis management council on Tuesday morning, which was immediately followed by a cabinet meeting. LSM's Latvian language service has produced a brief summary of the main items:

• From October 14, a face mask must be worn in public places - shops and elsewhere.
• At events with personalized seats allocated you will not have to wear a mask.
• Bars, cafes, restaurants (including caterers) can stay open until midnight.
• A maximum of four people will be able to sit at one table.
• Private events will be limited to a maximum of 30 people inside and 300 outside.
• After the imminent school holiday, all group 7-12 classes will be conducted by distance learning.
• Recreational education and training classes will only be possible in a one-on-one format.
• Amateur arts groups will no longer be able to meet in person.

The headline change is the compulsory use of masks covering the mouth and nose in public places. These can include medical or non-medical face masks, visors and face shields.

Masks must be worn at points of sale (shops, including supermarkets, post offices, petrol stations and other places of sale), railway stations, bus stations, airports, cultural sites and places of religious activity.

However, masks do not need to be worn at an event with personalized seating and suitable social distancing arrangements.

Mouth and nose masks should also be used by staff working in these areas and are not separated from visitors by a physical barrier. 

Face masks are already compulsory on all public transport, as previously reported by LSM.

As previously stated, the obligation to use mouth and nose masks is introduced from 14 October.