Increase in Covid-19 incidence anticipated in the fall, the government will have to take serious measures to keep coronavirus in check - official

  • 2021-07-20
  • LETA/TBT Staff

RIGA - Vladislavs Vesperis, deputy head of the Cross-sectoral Coordination Center, anticipates a significant increase in Covid-19 incidence rate in the fall, which will require serious steps by the government to keep the coronavirus in check, as Vesperis said during a meeting of Saeima investigative commission on the government's performance in tackling the Covid-19 pandemic.

The current Covid-19 situation is comparatively good, but forecasts for the coming fall "are not rosy", the official pointed out.

The government agreed when discussing Covid-19 predictions for the fall on July 6 that it was better to act decisively and take more stringent measures, so restrictions continue for a shorter period of time, Vesperis explained. A more gradual approach is less effective for decreasing the Covid-19 incidence rate and restrictions last for longer, Vesperis pointed out.

Vesperis is the leading rapporteur at the government meetings regarding experts' opinion of the government's actions to protect society from Covid-19. He also presented the experts' opinion at the commission's meeting today.

After the end state of emergency ended, experts' opinion regarding the reopening of stores and shopping malls was not taken into consideration - the group of professionals believed it was too quick and contributed to the increase in the Covid-19 incidence in April and early May, said Vesperis.