Latvia should help Latgale to overcome Covid-19 pandemic - Levits

RIGA - Considering that Latvia's eastern Latgale regions has been stricken by the Covid-19 pandemic most and people there are not getting vaccinated, the whole country should help the region to overcome the crisis, said Latvian President Egils Levits in an interview with the Latvian public television today.

He believes that the government should meet its promise and end the strict lockdown on November 15, allowing people vaccinated against Covid-19 to receive services in the so-called "green regime", while unvaccinated should still face restrictions. At the same time, the president believes that separate restrictions should be set in administrative territories with the highest incidence.

Levits said that Latgale is in an especially tough situation, mostly because of the low vaccination rate in the region. However, this is a problem for the whole country.

"It means that we, other local governments, should provide support to Latgale. It is national solidarity. We should share our experience and resources in the fight with the pandemic," the president said.

At the same time, Levits called on the government not to keep people in ignorance and inform on clear criteria for Covid-19 restrictions in due time so that it is not that the government makes decisions at the last moment.

The president believes that Latvia will manage to overcome the Covid-19 pandemic if the vast majority of residents will get vaccinated against the virus.