Estonian police to start monitoring compliance with infection safety checks

TALLINN - While so far, Estonian police officers have been checking compliance with the mask obligation in public transport and at stores, going forward, the focus of the police will be on businesses that do not carry out coronavirus certificate checks or deem them unjustified, the online news portal of public broadcaster ERR reports.

The obligation for staff at eateries and entertainment venues to check their patrons' coronavirus certificates has been in force in Estonia for a couple of months; however, there has been little oversight of compliance with this obligation as the police have first and foremost been checking adherence to the mask obligation. From now on, coronavirus certificate checks will be the priority.

"We haven't done it very much, and it has been a conscious choice because a change mustn't be abrupt and it must be done according to the situation. Today, the situation is bad and it's getting worse, hospitals are full of patients, ordinary treatment is disrupted and thus, our work tactics, too, will change," director general of the Police and Border Guard Board Elmar Vaher said.

The Health Board has now commissioned different type of work from the police, and the police have begun their activities, Vaher added.

While until now, the police have mainly only issued warnings to people, the approach is now set to become stricter.

"If needed, the Health Board has sufficient authority to close the business in question. How these closures are to be carried out is currently being discussed -- to my knowledge, experts are currently in the process of putting together a battle plan," the police chief said.