Police issuing coronavirus restrictions warnings, including in playgrounds
The Police and Border Guard Board (PPA) in Tallinn has been busy issuing warnings, precepts and even fines to those who transgress restrictions on public movement initiated by the government in its coronavirus emergency situation. Incidents have taken place in private, as well as public places.
PPA personnel have had to approach families with children on public playgrounds. While immediate families are permitted to accompany each other in public, public playgrounds, including those in high-density residential areas, plus sports fields, have been off-limits for some weeks, and are often taped-off.
The usual process is to issue a warning for first-time offenders, the PPA told ETV current affairs show "Aktuaalne kaamera" Sunday night, with a written precept issued to recidivists as a follow-up.
Kalle Kitsing of the PPA's East Harju County department, said that if the precept does not have its desired effect, a fine will follow. Kitising said the majority of people are aware of and comply with the rules, but challenges have also had to be made to private parties away from public areas, sometimes twinned with noise regulations considerations.
"There have been situations where there are violations of nighttime noise regulations, where many people congregate, drink alcohol, and listen to music. They have been told that although this is not a public place, it is not wise to be together in this way. Generally then people understand, turn the music down, and disperse," Kitsing told "Aktuaalne kaamera".
Other warnings have had to be issued in response to quarantine violations. All those displaying coronavirus symptoms must self-quarantine at home for 14 days, as must those they live with, and anyone who has returned from an at-risk area in the past 14 days.
The PPA also has the power to inspect stores, which since Saturday have been supposed to enforce a 2+2 rule inside a store – which in some cases necessitates smaller stores permitting only two people in at a time – and check the availability of hand disinfectant at entrances and exits. This also applies to post offices and any service centers still open to the public.
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Editor: Andrew Whyte