Infectologist: Latvia's hope is restrictions in other countries

Latvia's hope to keep low COVID-19 incidence rates is limits in other countries, which in turn will stabilize the situation and thus reduce the risk of introducing infections into Latvia, the Ministry of Health's chief infectologist Uga Dumpis said in an interview to Latvian Television September 14.

“We shouldn't be too self-assured. But the fact that we are better off for the second time means that we are doing something systemically right. And it is systemically correct that we are more attentive to other countries and have not rushed to make reckless decisions,” the infectologist said.

Dumpis also criticized the idea of raising the cumulative incidence rate threshold of 25 per 100 000 inhabitants. “For us, that number is 5-6. We have not had a cumulative incidence of 25 cases per 100,000 inhabitants in the worst of times in March, April. We are absolutely not in a position to play with these numbers,” he said.

Asked about the possibility of keeping the rates low in Latvia, Dumpis said that hope is on other countries' stricter rules. “It looks like other countries will have to do something, as hospitals fill up with patients. I just don't know what they're going to do. (..) We must hope that, in other countries, this situation could again be stabilized and we could continue our quiet life here. For the time being, we have succeeded in this. Of course, no one can predict how we will go on,” he added.

Commenting on the resumption of on-site learning, Dumpis said that misunderstandings in relation to the epidemiological rules remain. But in general, the organization is taking place peacefully and well.

He said that students and other people rolling around in public should install the “Stop COVID” app. This would make it easier to find contacts in case of illness.

He stressed that every week without strict rules is precious.