Latvia mandates vaccination for teachers, medical workers and social service providers

The Latvian government on September 28 issued amended pandemic rules that will make vaccination against Covid-19 obligatory for all persons involved in health care, in all levels of education and the provision of social services.

It also limited most indoor gatherings and activities to persons with certificates of vaccination or recovery from Covid-19 or a valid recent negative test for the virus.

The amended regulations will take effect on October 11 and mandatory vaccination will apply after November 15, “giving ample time to vaccinate and get a certificate,” Minister of Health Daniels Pavļuts told journalists. He said that exceptions from vaccination could only be granted for special medical reasons to be approved by a panel of doctors.

Shopping malls only for vaccinated still pending

However, the new regulations left open the issue of how to ensure safety while promoting vaccination at retail outlets ranging from small shops to large shopping malls, where currently any persons can be present in a retail outlet if mask wearing and capacity limits (a maximum number based on the floor space of the shop) are respected.

The health minister said that retail businesses were the largest area of concern for controlling the pandemic and there had been discussion of allowing only certified (vaccinated or recovered) and tested persons into large shopping centers. However…