Health Ministry to propose lifting self-isolation requirement for vaccinated travelers

RIGA - Travelers who have been vaccinated against Covid-19 might not be required to self-isolate on arrival in Latvia from abroad, according to draft legislation the Health Ministry is going to propose at this Thursday's government meeting.

LETA was told at the ministry that this regulation would be similar to the already effective rule allowing persons who have recovered from Covid-19 not to self-isolate after arriving in Latvia from foreign countries. 

The Health Ministry indicated that in its presentation to the government in April it already mentioned the opportunity to travel without self-isolating as one of the potential benefits for vaccinated persons. 

As reported, self-isolation remains mandatory for travelers arriving in Latvia from nearly all European countries, except for the Vatican, Iceland, and the UK.

Earlier today, Transport Minister Talis Linkaits (New Conservative Party) told LETA that Latvia must as soon as possible introduce a condition that a vaccinated person does not have to observe self-isolation and present a negative Covid-19 test when entering the country, similar to the requirements introduced in Estonia and Lithuania.

Otherwise there is an absurd situation where a vaccinated Latvian citizen may enter Estonia without any restrictions, but upon returning to Latvia he or she must present a negative Covid-19 test and go into self-isolation.

Linkaits said that similar arrangements are in place in many European countries, including Denmark, Poland, Bulgaria, the Czech Republic and Greece, and Austria is planning to approve similar arrangements in the near future. "Introduction of such regulation in Latvia should not be postponed, taking into account that a clear procedure for easing the Covid-19 restrictions will be an additional motivation for residents to get vaccinated," said the minister.