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Most successful practices to combat COVID-19 in Riga

Riga

April 6, 2020

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Riga municipality implements a wide number of measures in response to COVID-19. There are measures and activities covering various sectors: social, healthcare and public health activities, education,  public transport, restriction of traffic and movement, measures to prevent spread of the disease in social care institutions, shelters, home care, catering, etc. When implementing measures, the  municipality communicates extensively with other municipalities abroad where the disease is more prevalent, taking into account their experience and measures taken to restrict the disease. The municipality also introduces measures which are stipulated in the Declaration of Emergency Situation in Latvia. This is ensured by the crises management group which coordinates measures implemented by various sectors in the municipality, providing fast and efficient flow of information.

Examples of good practice include:

• strict adherence to the recommendations of epidemiologists and effective informing of the population about restrictive measures, coordination of testing for COVID-19 in municipal institutions (e.g. long-term social care institutions, shelters);
• Informing the population via social networks, music streaming sites (e.g.Spotify, etc.)
• ensuring the operation of the volunteer call centre for seniors in order to reduce social isolation of seniors;
• restrictions referring to public transport and passenger flows (passengers are not allowed to enter through the front door, limitation to 50% of passengers per vehicle, tickets are not sold by the driver), suspension of discounts for seniors, information about measures to combat COVID are provided to passengers on public transport;
• information about precautionary measures and actions taken during the emergency period is provided to the residents in the stair halls of municipal and private apartment buildings;
• municipal employees are provided an opportunities to work remotely to reduce the number of people in the municipality and movement;
• termination of availability of public events and sites, incl. playgrounds, outdoor and indoor entertainment venues;
• availability of e-services for the population by ensuring the availability of remote services;
• restrictions imposed on persons in public places (indoor and outdoor) : persons shall respect a distance of 2 meters between themselves;
• termination of access to outpatient health care services;
• cancellation of family births;
• Special restrictive measures have been established in maternity care, incl. visits by relatives.