Updated list of unsafe countries and regions: changes in isolation requirements for arrivals
As a result of new mutations in coronavirus (COVID-19) and the threat of their outbreak in European Union (EU) countries, the Ministry of Health has tightened requirements for arrivals from the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and the Republic of South Africa. Following the Friday update of the list of affected countries, Liechtenstein and Switzerland continue on the list along with the third countries. As of Monday, 11 January, people arriving from or travelling through these countries will be required to self-isolate for 10 days or take a test for coronavirus (COVID-19).
The Ministry of Health has tightened requirements for arrivals from the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and the Republic of South Africa in response to the risk assessment published by the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC).
The ECDC risk assessment indicates that the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and the Republic of South Africa are at high risk of introducing and spreading virus mutations in the EU. Given the faster rate of spread of the mutated virus infection, a significant impact of the spread of new mutations on hospitalisation rates and deaths is likely, particularly among at-risk individuals, the elderly and people with chronic diseases.
According to the World Health Organization (WHO) and the ECDC, new cases of the virus mutation, the spread of which has been observed in the United Kingdom and the Kingdom of Northern Ireland, have been identified since December in the following EU and EEA countries: Cyprus, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Malta, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Spain, Slovakia, Sweden, Switzerland.
Meanwhile, cases of a new viral mutation in South Africa have been reported in Finland, France, Norway, Sweden and the UK.
Following the tightening of the requirements, arrivals from the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and the Republic of South Africa will be required to have taken a laboratory test for coronavirus infection within 48 hours before or upon the entry to Lithuania. Given the lack of data on whether a person that already had a coronavirus can become infected with a new virus mutation and what is the time lapse from the last infection to catch a new mutated virus, requirements have been tightened for those arriving that already had coronavirus by imposing on them a 14-day isolation period.
The 14-day isolation period can be shortened if a test taken on the 10th isolation day at the earliest is negative. Arrivals from the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and the Republic of South Africa will not leave the place of isolation unless they need urgent medical assistance and have to go to a medical facility, or they have to go to a mobile point. People in isolation may go to a funeral, change the place of isolation, or go to a medical facility for other health care services with the permission of the National Public Health Centre (NPHC).
Subjected to isolation because of travelling from the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and the Republic of South Africa, foreigners and Lithuanian citizens living or working abroad and those who need to leave for health reasons may leave Lithuania for the country where they live, work or where health care will be provided before the lapse of the required period of isolation. The NPHC must be notified of the planned departure at least 24 hours before the planned departure from Lithuania.
Depending on the rate of notifications and other criteria, all countries are mapped into green, orange, red and grey areas. Lithuania is currently in the red area, and its list of affected countries includes only those countries and regions that are in the grey area.
The grey group includes countries that do not provide data to the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control or those with the 7-day testing rate lower than 300 cases per 100 000.
Arrivals from the affected countries, i.e. from Liechtenstein and Switzerland (not applicable to arrivals from the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland or the Republic of South Africa) will be subject to 10-day isolation or they will be required to evidence the test for coronavirus (COVID-19) taken at maximum 48 hours before the entry to Lithuania with a negative result thereof. This test for coronavirus can also be taken in Lithuania, but isolation will be nevertheless mandatory until the testing result is negative.
Arrivals from third countries cannot bring their test results, they are required to self-isolate or take a test in Lithuania. Please note that even if you have brought a negative testing result, you are nevertheless recommended to avoid social contacts and gatherings for 10 days from return to or arrival in Lithuania. These requirements will not be applicable in the case of those transiting through the affected countries travelling by air through the affected countries when not leaving the airport transit area.
The Ministry of Health notes that passengers travelling on international routes organised and operated by carriers as regular, special and charter services by all modes of transport must register on the website of the NPHC (https://keleiviams.nvsc.lt/lt/form) and present the confirmation of the completed electronic form (QR code) to the carrier before boarding the vehicle, and in other cases - they must register with the NPHC (https://keleiviams.nvsc.lt/lt/form) within 12 hours of returning / arriving in the Republic of Lithuania.
The list of affected countries is published every Friday to take effect on Monday for the duration of that week.
Maps outlining the status of the common criteria for EU countries and regions published by the ECDC are available here.
LIST OF COUNTRIES AFFECTED BY COVID-19 (CORONAVIRUS INFECTION):
No | Country (territory) |
1. | EU and EEA countries (as per country/region data published by the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control) |
Principality of Liechtenstein | |
Swiss Confederation | |
2. | Other countries |
Islamic Republic of Afghanistan | |
Republic of Albania | |
People’s Democratic Republic of Algeria | |
American Samoa | |
Principality of Andorra | |
Angola | |
Antigua and Barbuda | |
Argentine Republic | |
Republic of Armenia | |
Aruba | |
Australia | |
Republic of Azerbaijan | |
Bahamas | |
Kingdom of Bahrain | |
Republic of Belarus | |
People’s Republic of Bangladesh | |
Barbados | |
Belize | |
Republic of Benin | |
Bermuda* | |
Republic of Guinea-Bissau | |
Bolivia | |
Bosnia and Herzegovina | |
Republic of Botswana | |
Federative Republic of Brazil | |
Brunei Darussalam | |
Burkina Faso | |
Republic of Burundi | |
Kingdom of Bhutan | |
Central African Republic | |
Republic of Chad | |
Republic of Chile | |
Dominica | |
Dominican Republic | |
Republic of Côte d 'Ivoire | |
Republic of Djibouti | |
Egypt | |
Republic of Ecuador | |
Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia | |
Ethiopian Federal Democratic | |
Republic of the Fiji Islands | |
Republic of the Philippines | |
Gabonese Republic | |
Republic of Guyana | |
Islamic Republic of Gambia | |
Republic of Ghana | |
Gibraltar* | |
Grenada | |
Georgia (Sakartvelo) | |
Guam* | |
Guadeloupe | |
Republic of Guatemala | |
Republic of Guinea | |
Republic of Haiti | |
Republic of Honduras | |
Republic of India | |
Republic of Indonesia | |
Republic of Iraq | |
Islamic Republic of Iran | |
Israel | |
Jamaica | |
Japan | |
Republic of Yemen | |
Jordan | |
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland | |
United States of America | |
United Arab Emirates | |
Montenegro | |
Cayman Islands | |
Christmas Island | |
Kingdom of Cambodia | |
Republic of Cameroon | |
Canada | |
Qatar | |
Republic of Kazakhstan | |
Republic of Kenya | |
People’s Republic of China | |
Kyrgyzstan | |
Curaçao | |
Republic of Colombia | |
Democratic Republic of the Congo | |
Republic of the Congo | |
Democratic People's Republic of Korea (North Korea) | |
Republic of Costa Rica | |
Republic of Cuba | |
Coco islands | |
Kuwait | |
People’s Democratic Republic of Laos | |
Kingdom of Lesotho | |
Republic of Lebanon | |
Liberia | |
State of Libya | |
Republic of Madagascar | |
Malaysia | |
Republic of Malawi | |
Republic of Maldives | |
Republic of Mali | |
Kingdom of Morocco | |
Martinique | |
Republic of Mauritius | |
Islamic Republic of Mauritania | |
Mexico | |
Myanmar | |
Republic of Moldova | |
Principality of Monaco | |
Mongolia | |
Montserrat | |
Republic of Mozambique | |
Republic of Namibia | |
New Zealand | |
Federal Republic of Nepal | |
Nigeria | |
Republic of Niger | |
Republic of Nicaragua | |
Sultanate of Oman | |
Islamic Republic of Pakistan | |
Palestine* | |
Panama | |
Papua New Guinea | |
Republic of Paraguay | |
Republic of Peru | |
Republic of South Africa | |
South Korea | |
South Sudan | |
French Polynesia | |
Commonwealth of Puerto Rico | |
Equatorial Guinea | |
Reunion | |
Rwanda | |
Russian Federation | |
Solomon Islands | |
Republic of El Salvador | |
Republic of San Marino | |
Republic of São Tomé and Principe | |
Kingdom of Saudi Arabia | |
Seychelles | |
Russian Federation | |
Republic of Serbia | |
Singapore | |
Syrian Arab Republic | |
Federative Republic of Somali | |
Republic of Sudan | |
Republic of Suriname | |
Swaziland | |
Republic of North Macedonia | |
Democratic Republic of Sri Lanka | |
the Holy See (Vatican City State) | |
Republic of Tajikistan | |
Thailand | |
Tanzania | |
Turks & Caicos Islands | |
Republic of Togo | |
Republic of Trinidad and Tobago | |
Tunisia | |
Turkey | |
Turkmenistan | |
Republic of Uganda | |
Ukraine | |
Uruguay | |
Republic of Uzbekistan | |
Vanuatu | |
Republic of Venezuela | |
Republic of Vietnam | |
Republic of Zambia | |
Republic of Zimbabwe | |
Republic of Cabo Verde |
* Territories without the status of a state
______
Press Service, Ministry of Health
Last updated: 11-01-2021
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