For those planning to travel to Saaremaa for Christmas, the Health Board (Terviseamet) recommends implementing all preventive measures, including wearing masks, to prevent the virus from spreading there.
Saare County was hit hardest by the virus in the spring and was effectively closed to non-residents at the height of the emergency. Now it has changed location to become the area with the lowest number of cases in the whole country. There are no local outbreaks and individual cases are reportedly reported mainly from overseas or the mainland.
“We know that 35 cases have been recorded in Saare County in the past 14 days, but we also know that only 10 of them are local residents,” Hanna Sepp, director of communicable diseases at the Department of Health, told ERR news bulletin ” Aktuaalne kaamera “(AK) Sunday. “There have been several cases where people visit their families and acquaintances from the mainland and bring the virus with them, albeit locally. In this case, the virus only spreads within the family group.”
Regardless of the small number of cases, locals take responsibility for wearing masks in public, AK reported. While a week ago it was difficult to find a person without a mask in a supermarket, the situation has changed in the last week when the holidays arrive.
“It was obvious that mainland people were wearing fewer face masks,” said a spokesman for the Kuressaare branch of Maxima supermarket. “The people of Saare County have been through a pandemic, fear it, and know the value of wearing masks.”
The Health Board’s recommendation for travelers to Saaremaa is to adhere to the 2 + 2 rule and the requirements for wearing masks.
“If you are planning to go to Saare County this year avoid doing it. However, if it is necessary, it is important to reduce the number of contacts and minimize the chance of the virus being transmitted there.” Sepp drove away.
The Mayor of Saare County, Mikk Tuisk, reminded visitors coming from the mainland to respect the local people who wear masks.
“We want our island to remain free after the Christmas break,” said Tuisk.
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