Covid-19, Estonia, EU – Baltic States, Legislation, Markets and Companies, Society

The new rules will take effect on Monday, Nov. 16.

Catering and entertainment establishments must close their doors for spending time on the premises at midnight. The restriction does not cover the take-away of food. 

In stores and in the public areas of shopping malls, such as corridors and atriums, the so-called 2+2 rule will again start to apply. In accordance with the rule, in stores and shopping centers no more than two people may move together and a distance of at least two meters must be kept with others, except for families and if this cannot be reasonably guaranteed. The restriction does not apply to employees, nor at places where services are provided, such as pharmacies, banks, beauty parlors, shoe repair shops and similar.

The government imposed a less strict restriction on the freedom of movement for the sales and service halls of catering establishments and entertainment and cultural establishments, such as theaters, cinemas, concerts, nightclubs and similar, where up to 10 people can stay together in the same company, who must keep a distance of at least two meters with other people, meaning the so-called 10+2 rule.

The restriction applies to places outside areas of fixed seating, which means that it does not apply to the seating areas of theaters and cinemas. Nor does the restriction apply to the employees working on-site, or families.

The service provider must ensure that it is possible for clients to adhere to the requirements and must see to it that groups of people can stay in areas outside the seating area dispersed. Catering establishments which offer the possibility to eat on-site must ensure that clients have the possibility to adhere to the requirement of keeping a distance of two meters from others, such as by placing tables at a sufficient distance from one another.

The 50% attendance limit will not be applied for now to establishments with fixed seating. However, the maximum attendance limit, which currently is 750 people, applies.

The restriction concerning opening hours does not apply to cultural establishments.

The government also decided that starting from Monday, Nov. 16, catering and entertainment establishments must close their doors for visitors spending time on the premises from midnight to 6 a.m. The restriction does not cover the take-away of food.  Establishments with fixed seating, such as cultural establishments, cinemas and theaters can remain open after midnight. 

The aim of the regulation is to prevent and contain the spread of the coronavirus causing  COVID-19 and to allow people to continue their day-to-day lives to as big a degree as possible. The rules will, despite the restrictions, allow people to spend time together in smaller groups. They will also allow business operators in the respective fields to continue their business activity. 

The restrictions have been deemed as necessary by the Health Board and the scientific council advising the government.