Mass testing could be implemented at cultural venues

Madis Ligema
Madis Ligema Source: ERR

Member of the board of the culture club Uus Laine, Madis Ligema, said that even though restrictions say evening events should end by 10 p.m., it is naive to think that people will really go home then. Ligema said mass testing on the doors of cultural establishments should be considered.

"I think that official places are not the places that we should be worried about," Ligema told ERR noting that public parties can be monitored much more easily than private parties.

"When I look at what happened in January and February, then in Old Town apartments, lots of people were partying. Instead of it all being open, traceable, those parties moved to smaller groups and it all takes place secretly," Ligema said.

He admitted that when entertainment establishments are open until 10 p.m, it does not mean that the parties actually end then. The parties start earlier and after the clubs are closed, people go to apartments.

He added that the current situation enables the clubs to make ends meet, but it's nowhere near normal.

"It's like this anecdote that two crazy people are in the pool and one says oh how great and then the other adds that the water will be put in tomorrow and then it will be even better. It is a similar situation. We have the pool and it's nice because we have been able to pay the rent and decrease the debt burden. But there is still no water in the pool and we can't swim," Ligema said.

He said that it would be reasonable to allow clubs to stay open longer, but to impose a requirement for rapid testing.

"I would suggest emphasizing some kind of door inspection. I do not support the vaccination passport myself, because I think it's discrimination in some sense, but I do support mass testing. If we could do mass testing at the doors of cultural institutions, then no more restrictions would need to be imposed inside, but everything would be free and life could go on as it should," Ligema said.

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Editor: Roberta Vaino

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