Located in north-eastern Europe, Latvia is known for its 12,000 rivers and 3,000 small lakes, making this country a dreamy place for international visitors. The country is also known for its Art Nouveau architecture, national parks, and unique castles and palaces.
However, the spread of the Coronavirus pandemic temporarily froze the travel process, especially for non-essential purposes.
According to the figures provided by the World Health Organization (WHO), Latvia has recorded a total of 208,783 cases of COVID-19 infection since the beginning of the pandemic and 3,109 deaths.
Such figures and the rapid spread of the Coronavirus and its new strains in other countries led authorities in Latvia to reimpose strict entry rules in order to deal with the current COVID-19 situation. As a result, Latvia has become the first country in Europe to reimpose a lockdown, which will be effective for a period of one month. Besides, the country has also declared a state of emergency for a period of three months.
“Our health system is in danger … The only way out of this crisis is to get vaccinated,” Latvia’s Prime Minister, Krišjānis Kariņš pointed out in this regard.
However, on September 1, authorities in Latvia opened their doors to citizens from the United States, United Kingdom, Australia, Israel, Canada, as well as New Zealand who can present valid proof of their immunization which shows that they have been vaccinated with any of the vaccines approved by the European Medicines Agency or equivalent regulator or vaccines approved by the World Health Organization.
Furthermore, travellers from the territories mentioned above are permitted to enter Latvia without additional requirements such as entry rules or travel restrictions.
Still, all internationals are obliged to carefully follow the entry rules when planning to travel to Latvia.
Who Can Enter Latvia?
At present, fully vaccinated travellers, as well as those who have recovered from the virus, are allowed to enter Latvia without being obliged to undergo a testing process or mandatory quarantine if they are not travelling from countries profoundly affected by the disease.
According to a statement published by REopen – the official website of the European Union, travellers who have completed their immunization process and those who have recovered from the Coronavirus are not obliged to follow testing rules before travelling to Latvia unless they are travelling from countries that have recently reported high COVID-19 infection rates of the Coronavirus and its new strains.
In addition, other travellers are required to undergo a testing process before travelling to this country. When returning from territories that have been profoundly affected by the virus, getting tests for COVID-19 is mandatory.
Due to the current COVID-19 situation, authorities in Latvia have declared a state of emergency for a period from October 11 until January 11. Besides, from October 21 until November 15, the country will remain under lockdown.
Travellers planning to enter Latvia will be required to fill in the electronic confirmation form. The certificate must be completed within 48 hours before crossing the border of Latvia. As for minors, the form must be finished by the parent/legal representative.
All persons who hold a valid digital COVID-19 certificate issued by the European Union Member States, European European Economic Area, Switzerland or the United Kingdom will not be required to follow testing rules when arriving in Latvia.
If persons fail to present a valid Digital COVID-19 certificate that proves that they have been vaccinated against COVID-19 or recovered from it, they will be obliged to take a PCR test 72 hours before entering Latvia or an antigen test not older than 48 hours before entering the Baltic country.
Internationals planning to travel to Latvia will also be required to follow quarantine rules.
All those who have not completed their immunization process or those who have not recovered from the Coronavirus will have to follow quarantine rules when returning Latvia from high-risk countries from the EU, EEA, Switzerland, the UK and other countries.
In addition, all passengers planning to enter the country from high-risk territories, including the EU, EEA, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom, will also be obliged to follow quarantine rules.
All persons can be exempted from the mandatory quarantine requirement if:
Persons prove that they hold a valid EU digital certificate or other valid certificates which confirms they have completed their vaccination
Persons who have recovered from the Coronavirus in the last months and can provide valid proof of the EU Digital COVID Certificate or other certificates issued in the EU, EEA, Switzerland or the United Kingdom
Children under 13 years of age travelling with adults who are excluded from quarantine requirements.
Which Vaccines Are Approved for Use in Latvia?
Like other European Union countries, authorities in Latvia accept vaccines approved by the European Medicines Agency (EMA), meaning that the approved vaccines are Comirnaty (BioNTech, Pfizer), Moderna Vaxzevria ( AstraZeneca, Oxford), Janssen (Johnson & Johnson).
On June 16, Latvia’s government allowed the entry for travellers from the EU, EEA, UK, and Switzerland, completely free of restrictions, provided they hold a digital COVID-19 certificate.
In June, the Latvian Minister of Transport, Tālis Linkaits, announced that the country had abolished entry requirements for vaccinated travellers.
Such a decision came in order to facilitate the travel process during the summer season and prevent another devastating situation for its industry, especially the tourism sector that has been profoundly affected by the virus.
“Coordinated and united action of the European Union for free travel will allow both citizens to plan summer vacations and the international passenger transport industry to return to business as usual,” Linkaits pointed out in this regard.
What to Expect When Visiting Latvia?
At present, there is not much that citizens or travellers can do when entering Latvia, as the country has imposed strict preventive measures in its fight against the virus.
“From October 21 until November 15, people must be at their registered place of residence from 20:00 until 05:00 unless they have a good reason to travel outside these hours. These reasons include travelling to and from work, and necessary medical or psychological treatment, veterinary treatment or visiting a pharmacy. If outside during these hours, you need to carry identification and, if applicable, a self-certification form stating the reason for breaking curfew,” the statement published by Latvia travel shows.
Besides, from October 21 until November 15, all stores except those excluded, such as grocery stores, pharmacies, those carrying essential goods, are closed, and only essential services are available.
Cultural venues, libraries, exhibitions will also remain closed during the lockdown. In addition, beauty and physical activities and entertainment services will also remain closed during the lockdown.
Besides, gatherings indoors and outdoors, including sports, entertainments, cultural events, are not permitted, while private gatherings are permitted only among one household.
“After November 15, it is planned to return to the ‘green mode’ rules which are currently in force and which apply different rules to vaccinated and unvaccinated persons,” the statement reads.
Travel Insurance
Before travelling to Latvia, travellers are urged to purchase travel insurance packages that will protect them if their trip gets cancelled due to Coronavirus or other reasons. In addition, travel insurance will also cover all costs in case of needed medical treatments, illnesses, or accidents.
In Latvia, passengers can find reasonably priced travel insurance from or Europ Assistance.
Current COVID-19 Situation in Latvia
Based on the figures provided by the World Health Organization, a total of 3,206 people in the Baltic State have tested positive for the Coronavirus in the last 24 hours, while 33 people have died during the last 24 hours.
At present, a total of 80.2 per cent of the population in the Baltic State are fully vaccinated against the Coronavirus, according to the figures published by the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control.
NOTE: This article was originally published on August 31. Since then, the same has been continuously updated with the most recent changes. The last changes to the article were made on October 28, in line with the most recent updates of the Latvian authorities.
Source link : https://schengen.news/travelling-to-latvia-during-covid-19-what-you-need-to-know/
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Publish date : 2021-10-28 03:00:00
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