Latvia: Riga residents react to new COVID lockdown

У вашего броузера проблема в совместимости с HTML5

Riga residents shared with Ruptly their opinion on newly-imposed COVID restrictions on Tuesday after Latvian Prime Minister Arturs Krisjanis Karins declared lockdown till November 15 in a bid to stop the rapid spread of COVID-19 infection.

According to Karins, most shops, entertainment, and educational institutions will be closed during the lockdown. The prime minister explained that such strict measures were adopted due to the low rate of vaccination of the population in the country.

Compared to previous measures, the current restrictions apply to all citizens – not only to the ones without vaccination or recovery certificate.

Thus, local Artur decided to get a jab since the authorities ‘won’t give up anyway.’

“They will squeeze even more, as a result, it is necessary to work,” he added.

Another Riga local Maris decided to get the vaccine since a mobile vaccination point opened near his house so it was a ‘sign from above.’

“The bus stood under my bedroom window. It’s five meters from my bed to the bus. I’m not such a fan of vaccines, medicines - I don’t use [them] at all. But now I realise that this is a sign from above, that ‘Maris, go get vaccinated,’ and that’s why I’m here today,” he said.

Local Zanda considered the new measures necessary, but unfair, as they limit the vaccinated citizens too. However, she believed that it is necessary “to get everything done by now so we can all go back to normal.”

An emergency situation was declared in Latvia for the period of three months earlier on October 11.

According to recent data compiled by Johns Hopkins University, 39,404 cases of COVID-19 and 279 deaths have been registered in Latvia within 28 days.

SOT, Journalist (Russian): “You came here, it is planned to place a mobile vaccination point here. You’ve come to get vaccinated, right?”

Artur, Resident of Riga (Russian): “Yes.”

Journalist (Russian): “Tell the reason”

Artur, Resident of Riga (Russian): “The reason? Because they won’t give up anyway. They will squeeze even more, as a result, it is necessary to work.”

Journalist (Russian): “So they told you about it at work?”

Artur, Resident of Riga (Russian): “I didn’t find out about this at work, I just already see this situation as such. In the end, you’re really [inaudible]. Soon, as I heard on the street, they won’t be allowed to work. I think it will come to this. Well, then what will have to do?”

SOT, Maris, Resident of Riga (Russian): “Something we have dragged on, our government, maybe. But at one time we were the countries that made their own security bubble - Latvia, Lithuania, Estonia. We had the least number of cases, but this disease can not be explained. If the question is why I decided to get vaccinated - because the bus stood under my bedroom window. It’s five metres from my bed to the bus. I’m not such a fan of vaccines, medicines - I don’t use [them] at all. But now I realise that this is a sign from above, that ‘Maris, go get vaccinated,’ and that’s why I’m here today.”

SOT, Nina, Resident of Riga (Russian): “I think that first of all it is the disorganisation of our people. All the same, there is a lot of information, both false and true, but for some reason people, maybe because of their limitations, or because of the opposite overly powerful development - I do not know why - believe that it is easier to die from something than from COVID-19. I, for example, am vaccinated, everyone in our family is vaccinated. I think that if people were more attentive and careful about their health and those around them, there wouldn’t be such a sad picture.”

SOT, Zanda, Resident of Riga (Russian): “I got the vaccine because I had COVID-19 and I don’t want to get sick like that anymore. It was terrible.”

Journalist (Russian): “Are there any people you know who have had the disease?”

Zanda, Resident of Riga (Russian): “Yes, there are.”

Journalist (Russian): “Was it hard to be sick?”

Zanda, Resident of Riga (Russian): “They were seriously ill, in hospitals, doctors thought people would not survive.”

Journalist (Russian): “Tell me, please. A four-week lockdown was declared yesterday, do you think this measure is necessary?”

Zanda, Resident of Riga (Russian): “It is certainly necessary, but unfair. To those who have the vaccine, I think it’s very unfair. But what can we do? We have already done everything. Well, now it’s the last phase. We have to get everything done by now so we can all go back to normal.”

#Riga #Latvia #Covid
Video ID: 20211021-039

Video on Demand: https://ruptly.tv/videos/20211021-039
Contact: [email protected]

Twitter: http://twitter.com/Ruptly
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/Ruptly