Prime minister: Hiiu County could lose restrictions
Prime Minister Kaja Kallas (Reform) proposed to the government's advisory scientific council that coronavirus restrictions could be dropped completely in Hiiu County, which has Estonia's highest vaccination tempo.
"I have made a proposal to the scientific council to discuss the possibility of losing coronavirus measures in Hiiu County This means it would no longer be mandatory to check for people's health safety in Hiiumaa and masks would not have to be worn," Kallas wrote on social media on Monday.
Kallas pointed to Hiiumaa's high vaccination coverage. "73.3 percent of Hiiumaa's adult population has gotten vaccinated (twice - ed) and that rate is even higher among those in risk groups. Among people aged 60 and up, for example, 86.4 percent of Hiiumaa residents have gotten vaccinated. That is a solid achievement, I would like to praise the active Hiiumaa residents and Hiiumaa healthcare workers!" the prime minister wrote.
"In case losing the coronavirus measures in Hiiumaa does not lead to new outbreaks, this approach could be used for other counties. The scientific council will not discuss if and on what conditions this could be possible," Kallas added.
Data from the Health Board's coronavirus map shows that 78.6 percent of Hiiu County's residents have been vaccinated at least once, followed by Tartu County (73.4 percent) and Jõgeva County (68.9). The lowest vaccination rate by county is at Ida-Viru County with 49.98 percent, second last is Valga County at 59.3 percent.
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Editor: Kristjan Kallaste