Month-long state of emergency comes into force

A month-long state of emergency came into force on midnight Sunday in response to the second wave of Covid-19 infections. The state of emergency, which gives the government greater powers, was declared so as to open the way for faster and more effective measures in the fight against the epidemic.

Secondary schools in high-risk areas will close for at least two weeks, indoor events are limited to ten people, outdoor events to twenty. Restaurants must place tables at a safe distance with a maximum of six diners at one table.

The state of emergency will allow ministries to acquire protective gear without an open competition and enable medical students to help out in hospitals due to the growing number of doctors and nurses who are Covid-19 positive or in quarantine.