Estonia plans new restrictions to avoid lockdown like Latvia

By JARI TANNER
Associated Press

HELSINKI (AP) — Estonia’s health minister says the Baltic country is considering new coronavirus restrictions on top of the ones that took effect Monday but is seeking to avoid a general lockdown like the one imposed by neighboring Latvia. The Estonian government will discuss additional restrictions, particularly ones aimed at boosting the speed of vaccinations, with a decisions expected Thursday. In Latvia, nearly 90% of those who died of COVID-19 last month were not vaccinated,. The Baltic country has entered a monthlong lockdown due to its worsening coronavirus situation. Latvia’s vaccination rate is among the lowest in the 27-nation European Union, with only slightly over half of residents fully vaccinated.