Latvia
© REUTERS/Janis LaizansPeople queue up outside a mass vaccination centre as Latvia opens walk in coronavirus disease (COVID-19) vaccination scheme in Riga, Latvia, April 16, 2021.
Latvian MPs who have not been vaccinated or recovered from COVID-19 will have their pay suspended and no longer be able to take part in parliamentary votes.

MPs approved the measure in a vote on Friday with 62 votes in favour in the 100-seat parliament.

"From November 15, an MP will be entitled to participate in the work of the Saeima [Latvia's Parliament] only if he or she has presented an interoperable COVID-19 certificate confirming the fact of vaccination or illness," the statement from the parliament press office states.


Comment: It's an important detail that those who have recovered from the coronavirus are included, because it may mean that Latvia's government at last acknowledges and accepts natural immunity; at least for MPs, it's not clear whether normal members of society enjoy the same recognition.

The Washington Post adds that the ban does not apply to MPs with "a clinical university hospital specialist recommending postponing vaccination for a certain period of time, together with a negative COVID-19 test."

Obviously, that anyone is being made to comply with these orders over a relatively harmless virus is hardly a shining example of democracy, but, as we've seen with the draconian restrictions elsewhere, the situation could be much worse.


"The payment of a monthly salary and compensation will be suspended for a Saeima MP who will not be entitled to participate in the work of the parliament," it adds.

The measure also applies to local government lawmakers and will come into force as the country exits its latest one-month lockdown.

Since October 21, all non-essential stores -- as well as cultural and leisure venues -- have been closed with public gatherings banned and private gatherings only allowed among one household. A nighttime curfew from 20:00 until 05:00 is also currently in force.

Starting next week, the country will enter a "green mode" with different rules for vaccinated and unvaccinated people.

Only 53.6% of Latvia's 1.9 million population is fully vaccinated, well below the EU average of 64.9%.

The country is currently categorised as of "high concern" by the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC).

The public health agency noted that the hospital admission and occupancy rates in Latvia over the past week were among the highest in the 31 countries in the EU/EEA region.


Comment: Hospital admission and occupancy for what? Surely if it was related to Covid they would've mentioned it.


The country has reported 236,765 infections since the beginning of the pandemic and 3,646 deaths.