Health Alert – U.S. Embassy Riga, Latvia (March 27, 2020)
Location: Latvia
Event: Latvia Restricts Some Scheduled Healthcare Services to Protect Patients from COVID-19
The Latvian Minister of Health Ilze Viņķele, approved an order to limit health care services in both private and public medical facilities from March 27, 2020. The goal of limiting theses services is to protect both patients and medical personnel from potential infection of COVID-19.
According to the Ministry of Health website, only the following services will be provided from March 27, 2020:
- Family doctor consultation and assistance;
- Emergency medical and emergency care (including examinations and consultations)
- Vaccinations;
- Health services for pregnant women, oncology patients, HIV/AIDS patients, tuberculosis patients, trauma patients and Green Corridor patients;
- Home health care services;
- Services to ensure continuity of therapy – chemotherapy, biological, organ replacement therapy, radiation therapy, day-care in hematology, methadone replacement therapy, as well as assistance to patients in need of continuation or completion of in-patient emergency treatment;
- Specialist consultations for patients with chronic illnesses (remotely possible);
- Oncological, life-saving as well as operations the cancellation of which may lead to disability;
- Dental services in acute and urgent cases;
- Outpatient councils (without patient involvement);
- Counseling for patients with contagious skin diseases and sexually transmitted diseases;
- Acute and sub-acute rehabilitation services for persons who may be at risk of disability and / or incapacity for work, including those for whom the delay in rehabilitation services is associated with significant impairment of dysfunction.
The U.S. Embassy reiterates the State Department’s Level Four Global Health Advisory, stating “U.S. citizens who live in the United States should arrange for immediate return to the United States, unless they are prepared to remain abroad for an indefinite period.
U.S. citizens can still cross the Latvian land borders with Estonia and Lithuania if they have tickets to transit out of Tallinn or Vilnius airports.
Flight Departure information:
From Riga:
The Latvian Ministry of Transportation
The Riga Airport Departures Page
The AirBaltic Travel Updates Page
From Tallinn:
The Tallinn Airport Departures Page
Lufthansa – Current Flight information
From Vilnius:
Vilnius Airport Departures Page
Actions to Take:
- Email us directly at askconsular-riga@state.gov if you are trying to leave Latvia.
- Visit our Embassy webpage on COVID-19 for information on conditions in Latvia.
- Consult the CDC website for the most up-to-date information.
- Visit the COVID-19 crisis page on travel.state.gov for the latest information.
- Visit the Department of Homeland Security’s website on the latest travel restrictions to the U.S.
- Follow travel.state.gov on Facebook and Twitter.
Assistance:
- U.S. Embassy Riga, Latvia
Samnera Velsa iela 1
Riga LV-1510
+371 6710 7000
+371 6710 7000 (after hours)
askconsular-riga@state.gov - After-hours emergency number for U.S. citizens is +371 2920 5708
- State Department – Consular Affairs
888-407-4747 or 202-501-4444 - Latvia Country Information
- Enroll in Safe Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP) to receive security updates
- Follow us on Facebook and Twitter.
