Coronavirus

Court: Health Board, PPA's 2021 pandemic closure of Tallinn cafe justified

28.07.23 NEWS ... Tallinn Administrative Court dismissed a complaint by MEM Cafe against the actions of Estonia's Health Board and Police and Border Guard Board (PPA), finding that the Health Board's decision to close down the Tallinn cafe in late 2021 was justified and the agencies' COVID-19 restriction-related precepts legitimate.

Medicines agency struggling to process vaccine damages claims

24.07.23 NEWS ... People have been able to seek compensation for coronavirus vaccine-related health damages in Estonia since last May. Relevant decisions are up to the State Agency of Medicines (Ravimiaemt) but the body has fallen behind in processing claims. While the agency has hired more experts, a fifth of claims are past due.

Health Board ends pandemic phase, returns to normal service

02.05.23 NEWS ... The Health Board on Tuesday announced it has ended its coronavirus pandemic operations after three years and will now continue to operate as usual.

Sick leave compensation returns to pre-coronavirus system in July

01.05.23 NEWS ... Sickness benefits will be paid from the fourth day rather than the second from July after the government agreed to return to the pre-pandemic system.

Court: Mask-wearing requirement cannot be installed 'just in case'

20.03.23 NEWS ... Court uphold several aspects of EKRE complaint over Covid restrictions.

Virologist: We will never learn the origin of the coronavirus

01.03.23 NEWS ... Even though the U.S. Department of Energy and the FBI find that the global coronavirus pandemic probably started in a Chinese laboratory, virologist Andres Merits said that even if one were to believe that, it will probably be impossible to determine where it happened.

Estonia looking at writing off over 700,000 vaccine doses

23.02.23 NEWS ... Over 700,000 doses of coronavirus vaccines are set to expire this spring and will probably have to be written off. At the same time, Estonia has contracts in place for another 1.3 million doses of Covid vaccines. The National Audit Office recommends reducing incoming quantities.

Health Board: 1,200 new COVID-19 cases, 350 flu cases registered last week

23.02.23 NEWS ... In the week of February 13-19, a total of 3,163 people in Estonia contracted acute respiratory infections, 40.1 percent of whom were children. In all, 356 new cases of influenza and 1,204 cases of COVID-19 were registered last week, the Health Board said Thursday.

Tartu hotel occupancy still not recovered to pre-pandemic levels

13.02.23 NEWS ... Tourism to Estonia's second-biggest city Tartu has not yet returned to pre-pandemic levels. Only 6 percent of the tourists who visit the country travel to south Estonia and hotels want to build on this in the future.

Ministers request extra €26 million to cover COVID care

04.02.23 NEWS ... Leading ministers at the Estonian Ministry of Social Affairs are requesting around €26 million in funding from the government to cover additional costs expected to be incurred in the treatment and care of coronavirus patients this year.

Justice chancellor: Covid-19 aid unfairly distributed among entrepreneurs

01.02.23 NEWS ... The government's coronavirus compensation was unequally distributed among entrepreneurs and contradicts the Constitution, Chancellor of Justice Ülle Madise said on Wednesday.

TÜ prevalence study: COVID-19 infections in Estonia down by more than third

31.01.23 NEWS ... COVID-19 infections in Estonia are down by more than one third and the prevalence of COVID antibodies is increasing, according to the results of the January wave of the final COVID prevalence study to be led by the University of Tartu (TÜ).

Fewer people reporting coronavirus vaccination side effects

26.01.23 NEWS ... Fewer people in Estonia are reporting side effects potentially linked to the coronavirus vaccines, data shows. Experts say more reports are made when people feel pressured to get vaccinated.

Health Board: Kids up to 15 accounted for 40 percent of all new flu cases

26.01.23 NEWS ... In the week of January 16-22, a total of 3,844 people in Estonia contracted acute respiratory infections, 31.7 percent of whom were children. In all, 599 new cases of influenza and 1,169 cases of COVID-19 were registered last week, the Health Board said Thursday.

Coronavirus drug Paxlovid reaches Estonia's pharmacies

23.01.23 NEWS ... The coronavirus drug Paxlovid has reached Estonian pharmacies, a year later than originally scheduled. The medicine has been used in hospitals since the turn of the year.

Health Board: New flu, COVID cases still down, likely to start rising again

19.01.23 NEWS ... In the week of January 9-15, a total of 4,592 people in Estonia contracted acute respiratory infections, 27.4 percent of whom were children. A total of 567 new cases of influenza and 1,348 new cases of COVID-19 were registered last week, the Health Board said Thursday.

Health Board: Winter break slows spread, but COVID, flu cases still rising

12.01.23 NEWS ... In the week of January 2-8, a total of 5,265 people in Estonia contracted acute respiratory infections, 29 percent of whom were children. A total of 983 new cases of influenza and 1,712 new cases of COVID-19 were registered last week, the Health Board said Thursday.

Virologist: Counting isolation days no longer necessary with Covid

31.12.22 NEWS ... While head of Estonia's COVID-19 Scientific Council, molecular biologist Toivo Maimets believes people should stay home for five days after being diagnosed with the coronavirus, virologist Irja Lutsar no longer deems it necessary.

Estonia not planning new COVID-19 measures after Chinese outbreak

30.12.22 CORONAVIRUS ... Experts have agreed there is currently no need for Estonia to introduce new coronavirus measures after China lifted restrictions, creating a new wave of infections, earlier this month.

Riigikogu approves extending sick pay from day two system into 2023

28.12.22 NEWS ... The Riigikogu has passed a bill which will extend the current sick pay regime into the new year, making the benefit due from day two of a period of illness. This change will not be permanent, however, and is set to run to the summer, as things stand.

Health Board: No longer strong case to suggest Covid is novel and dangerous

21.12.22 NEWS ... The imminent arrival of Covid medicines in Estonian pharmacies leaves few arguments to suggest Covid is still a novel and dangerous infectious disease, Ragnar Vaiknemets, head of the Health Board's healthcare organization and resilience department, told ERR.

A year behind schedule: Coronavirus drugs could reach pharmacies soon

20.12.22 NEWS ... Estonia has taken delivery of 4,000 packages of coronavirus drug Paxlovid, with the Health Insurance Fund working on making sure the drug reaches pharmacies as quickly as possible.

Health Board: Flu cases in Estonia up 245 percent on week

15.12.22 NEWS ... In the week of December 5-11, a total of 5,338 people in Estonia contracted acute respiratory infections, including 2,991 cases of COVID-19 and 804 cases of influenza, 160 of which were laboratory confirmed, the Health Board said Thursday.

Study: High coronavirus rate due to new strain, declining sense of danger

22.11.22 CORONAVIRUS ... Estonia's spread of coronavirus remains high for the fourth month in a row due to a new Omicron subtype and people's declining sense of danger, the results of the University of Tartu's (TÜ) latest monitoring study show.

Government to appeal court decision on Covid restriction complaints

01.11.22 NEWS ... The government says it plans to contest a court decision which upheld complaints from nearly 60 individuals who said that coronavirus restrictions put in place last year infringed their rights.

Government's scientific council contract to run course, future unclear

01.11.22 NEWS ... The government's emergency situation committee convened a scientific council to collect and analyze expert information for the cabinet in March 2020. The contract of the council the main task of which has been to advise ministers on the coronavirus will expire this year.

Pilving: Supreme Court ruling was unanimous, but not black and white

31.10.22 NEWS ... The Constitutional Review Chamber of the Supreme Court of Estonia ruled that the standards of the Communicable Diseases Prevention and Control Act (NETS) are constitutional, however they did not have the explicit jurisdiction to assess orders issued by the Estonian government, Supreme Court Justice Ivo Pilving said on Monday.

Supreme Court: Covid passport law not contrary to Estonian Constitution

31.10.22 CORONAVIRUS ... Norms put in place by a piece of legislation which enabled the government to introduce Covid passports during the pandemic were not in conflict with the Estonian Constitution, a Supreme Court ruling finds. However, the legislature, ie. the Riigikogu, should specify the norms set out by the legislation more clearly, against any future Covid outbreaks, the court added.

Health Board scraps free COVID-19 PCR testing

26.10.22 CORONAVIRUS ... Free PCR testing for coronavirus carried out by the Health Board will be scrapped as the agency moves to sample-based testing, it was announced on Wednesday.

Estonia seeking to escape deluge of COVID vaccine doses, save some cash

25.10.22 NEWS ... Despite increasing numbers of COVID-19 vaccine doses beginning to expire, vaccine production is still underway at full capacity. If Estonia doesn't manage to change its contracts, it will eventually have to pay producers for the vaccines already ordered.

TÜ study: COVID still spreading rapidly, people following fewer precautions

25.10.22 NEWS ... According to the latest wave of the COVID-19 prevalence study being led by the University of Tartu (TÜ), the SARS-CoV-2 virus is still spreading rapidly among adults in Estonia. This spread is being fueled by people's disregard for precautions, which is now at its highest yet since the launch of the study.

Infectologist on Covid: We have developed an immune memory

22.10.22 NEWS ... Infectious diseases specialist at the West Tallinn Central Hospital Dr. Pille Märtin talked about the spread of infectious diseases, coronavirus and precautions on Vikerraadio's "Päevatee" program, finding that vaccination and recovery have left people with an immune memory that helps contain the virus. Where the coronavirus might go next remains a mystery.

Health Board: No rush to re-classify Covid as common infectious disease

18.10.22 NEWS ... The Health Board has no intention of treating the coronavirus as a common infectious disease anytime soon. At the same time, it has no plans to recommend the introduction of new restrictions for time either, said Mari-Anne Härma, deputy director general of the Health Board.

Health Board: Covid incidence in Estonia falls slightly on week

18.10.22 CORONAVIRUS ... The number of new Covid cases in Estonia has fallen slightly on the previous week, the Health Board (Terviseamet) says. 224 people were hospitalized with Covid as of Monday morning.

Health Board: More than 3,500 cases of COVID-19 diagnosed last week

04.10.22 NEWS ... As of the morning of Monday, October 3, a total of 210 people in Estonia were hospitalized with COVID-19. In all, 3,561 new cases of COVID were diagnosed across the country last week, and another just over 1,400 new lab-confirmed cases can be expected this week, the Health Board said in its weekly forecast.

New coronavirus booster vaccines available from Monday

30.09.22 NEWS ... Family doctors and health service providers will be able to offer coronavirus vaccinations against the Omikron substrains BA.4 and BA.5 from next week.

Covid infection rates falling but up by a third among over 60s

27.09.22 NEWS ... Coronavirus infection rates in Estonia are falling overall, however, the number of new cases increased by ten percent in the last week. According to the latest data provided by the Estonian Health Board, the number of infections rose by almost a third among those aged 60 and over.

Tartu sports club legal appeal over Covid restrictions draws blank

27.09.22 NEWS ... A legal dispute involving a Tartu gym and dating to an application for compensation over police actions taken due to the sports club's non-compliance with Coronavirus regulations has been put to rest.

Court overturns termination of 14 ambulance workers who refused vaccination

24.09.22 NEWS ... The Harju County Court ruled on Friday that Tallinn Emergency Response (Tallinna Kiirabi) did not have the right to terminate the employment of 14 employees who refused to be vaccinated for COVID-19 and ordered it to pay the employees compensation, the law firm representing the plaintiffs said.

Former government Covid advisor: Virus is now on a par with the flu

21.09.22 CORONAVIRUS ... The coronavirus has now lost its immediacy, and as a result must now been seen as any other viral illness, such as influenza, virologist and former head of the government's Covid advisory body Professor Irja Lutsar says.

Health Board: Covid hospitalizations relatively stable in past week

13.09.22 CORONAVIRUS ... The number of patients hospitalized due to Covid was stable, though fell by 17 over the past week, the Health Board (Terviseamet) says.

Health Board buys new cold storage units due to Moderna vial changes

07.09.22 CORONAVIRUS ... The Health Board (Terviseamet) is purchasing new cold storage units for its warehouse via a state procurement. The purchase is require as one of the approved Covid vaccine manufacturers, Moderna, is using different vials than earlier, and the containers will take up twice as much space as was the case previously.

Coronavirus forecast: Fewer new cases, hospitalized patients

06.09.22 NEWS ... New coronavirus cases dropped by 20 percent last week and the danger level on the risk matrix has also fallen, data from the Health Board's weekly forecast shows.

Court rules two PPA officers dismissal over vaccine refusal was illegal

03.09.22 NEWS ... A court on Wednesday found that two Police and Border Guard Board (PPA) employees were illegally dismissed after declining to get fully vaccinated against Covid.

Court: Dismissal of officers refusing vaccine was unlawful

02.09.22 NEWS ... Tallinn Administrative Court on Wednesday issued rulings on two administrative matters in which it declared the dismissal of officers who had refused to vaccinate against COVID-19 from service unlawful.

Minister: No additional energy price support measures currently agreed on

02.09.22 NEWS ... Household consumers whose consumption levels are modest will benefit from the compensation for high energy prices as announced in principle yesterday, Thursday, Minister of Economic Affairs and Communications Riina Sikkut (SDE) says.

Over 40 million pandemic-era PPE items still in warehouses

01.09.22 CORONAVIRUS ... Around 42 million personal protective equipment (PPE) items are currently languishing in the Estonian Stockpiling Agency's (EVK) warehouses. Purchased at the peak of the Covid pandemic, finding a use for the stock is not easy, ERR reports.

Health Board: 2,863 Covid cases diagnosed in Estonia in the past week

30.08.22 CORONAVIRUS ... 2,863 new cases of Covid emerged in the past week, week 34 of 2022 the Health Board (Terviseamet) says, down from 3,606 in week 33.

University of Tartu study: COVID widespread, most cases mild

30.08.22 NEWS ... Results of the most recent wave of the COVID-19 prevalence study led by the University of Tartu (TÜ) indicate that nearly one in 30 adults in Estonia is currently infected with the COVID virus and is still contagious, comparable to late March figures. According to researchers, however, there is no cause for alarm as the course of the disease is now mostly mild.

No remote learning, mandatory testing as schools start new academic year

30.08.22 CORONAVIRUS ... Both the Health Board (Terviseamet) and the government's coronavirus advisory council find that neither remote learning nor mandatory rapid testing is required in schools, ahead of the new academic year, which starts Thursday, ETV news show 'Aktuaalne kaamera' (AK) reported Monday.
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