Estonia tightens virus certificate criteria as cases rise

COPENHAGEN, Denmark (AP) — People in Estonia no longer can use negative test results to obtain the coronavirus certificates needed to attend sporting events, movie showings, indoor public meetings and other events. As of Monday, only proof of vaccination or having recovered from COVID-19 are accepted as the basis for obtaining a certificate. Authorities said the rule, along with another requiring masks in indoor public places, will remain in place until Jan. 10. It wasn’t immediately clear why the government disqualified negative test results from the certificate process, although concerns about the reliability of some tests could be a factor. Estonia on Monday reported 1,787 new daily cases, a number equivalent to its March pandemic peak.