Minister of Foreign Affairs Urmas Reinsalu (Isamaa) said at the government's press conference on Thursday that the government has made a decision in principle to lift the self-isolation requirement for people arriving from Finland, Latvia and Lithuania if they have taken a coronavirus test within 48 hours before their arrival in Estonia and their test result has proven negative.

Minister of Social Affairs Tanel Kiik (Center) added that both Latvia and Lithuania should on Friday make a decision that places Estonia in their green zone, which should ensure relatively free movement between the three Baltic states from next week.

Kiik also said if a person from Estonia visits Latvia or Lithuania, then takes a coronavirus test on arrival back in Estonia and tests negative they do not have to quarantine.

The trend of infections has stabilized in Estonia and is now exhibiting a slight decline, which according to Kiik indicates that the situation has been brought under control.

Estonia's infection rate per 100,000 people in the last two weeks is 39.88. It is almost 60 in Latvia and over 60 in Lithuania.

The Estonian government is drafting new travel regulations for passengers from Finland, Latvia and Lithuania which would allow free movement to continue if five criteria are met.

If the infection rate in the three countries rises above 50 per 100,000 inhabitants, a person without coronavirus symptoms can come to Estonia from the respective country without the obligation of self-isolation in five cases: to work, study, see a doctor, for unavoidable family reasons or for transit.

Self-isolation will not apply for those same groups of people coming to Estonia as long as the infection rate is below 50. The draft is being prepared by the State Chancellery. 

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