Epidemiological situation in the autumn will be dependent on society, not the virus - Pavluts

RIGA - The Covid-19 related epidemiological situation in the autumn of this year, when specialists predict a possible increase in infection rates, will depend more on the public than on the virus, Minister of Health Daniels Pavluts (For Development) emphasized in an interview with TV3 this morning.

The politician admitted that Latvia needs to prepare for different scenarios in the autumn, but the main unknown is not what the virus will do, but what the public will do, namely how many people will be vaccinated against Covid-19 and how much the public will be protected.

Asked what restrictions might have to be renewed in the autumn, Pavluts refused to rush to make a guess, because Latvia is currently in the opposite phase - on the way to reducing restrictions.

The Minister envisages that, taking some certain precaution, it will be possible to celebrate the Midsummer holiday in Latvia in small companies of people.

He also does not see any major problems for businesses in controlling which people have been vaccinated and who to provide their services, as an app will be available for this purpose in the near future. Instead, he sees a greater challenge for businesses in getting their employees vaccinated so that they can provide services freely.

Pavluts admitted that not only the public, but also the government has a certain fatigue of the Covid-19 pandemic, which led to quite pronounced instability, which has now resulted in the replacement of several ministers.

The leader of the For! party hopes that this change within the government will help "turn all noses in one direction" and that the government will now be able to work more cohesively, as it still has a long way to go, namely to draw up next year's budget, which will be a very difficult task.

Meanwhile, asked whether For! will run together with For Latvia's Development in the next Saeima elections, Pavluts refrained from making a prediction, but added that both parties continue working closely together in parliament, and that this matter will be discussed in the future.