Estonian health minister: Restrictions to be eased sufficiently for New Year's Eve

TALLINN - Estonian Minister of Health and Labor Tanel Kiik said on Thursday that restrictions would be eased sufficiently for New Year's Eve.

According to Kiik, the government has always said that if the country is on a downward trend regarding COVID-19 and the level of vaccination increases, the government definitely does not think that the new year will this time come at 11 p.m., as is currently the restriction on public events.

"In any case, this easing will come by the turn of the year," Kiik affirmed, emphasizing that the requirement for a COVID-19 certificate will definitely remain in force, which is why it is important that people continue to get vaccinated.

Prime Minister Kaja Kallas said that the government is waiting for a position from the scientific council by Monday next week on how dangerous the new strain of the coronavirus that has started to spread is. "The goal is to make this decision at the beginning of next week," Kallas said when asked whether the 23 p.m. restriction would be lifted for New Year's Eve.