Estonia eases some Covid-19 restrictions

Relaxation concerns restaurants and cafes, indoor sports and training, hobby education, and museums

With 589 new cases per 100 000 people in the last 14 days, the Covid-19 situation in Estonia seems to be stabilizing. Therefore, the government has decided to ease from today, 18 January, some of the restrictions imposed in Harju and Ida-Viru counties in December to limit the spread of the coronavirus, reports ERR. The relaxation of measures concerns catering establishments, indoor sports and training, hobby activities and education, as well as museums and exhibition facilities.

Catering establishments

Restaurants, cafes and other catering establishments may resume on-site service, staying open between 6 a.m. and 7 p.m. at up to 25 percent of their maximum capacity. This means that customers must be spread out on the premises, and must observe (with the exception of families) the 2+2 rule when moving around. There are no restrictions on the time for takeaways.

Hobby education and sports

Hobby activities and hobby education, refresher (additional) training and continuing education, youth work, sporting and training sessions will be allowed indoors as individual activities only. Outdoors, all listed activities may proceed in groups of up to ten people as before.

Museums and exhibits

Inside museums and exhibition facilities, visitor numbers are capped at 50 percent of the premises’ capacity, and the 2+2 rule applies for movement. Visitor groups outside may not exceed 10 persons per group.  

In-person learning at all levels of education will be restored from 25 January.

Restrictions that will remain until 1 February

Entertainment venues will continue to be off-limits to visitors.
Saunas, spas, water parks and swimming pools must remain closed, except for individual sports.

Public meetings and events, including conferences, theatre performances, concerts and movie screenings, are prohibited indoors. Outdoors, they can be attended in groups of up to ten people, with no contact between groups allowed. A public outdoor event must be over by 10 p.m.

Church and religious services can be held while adhering to the current obligations: mask-wearing, moving according to the 2+2 rule (except for families) and not exceeding 50 percent of the capacity of the premises. 

Curbs on alcohol sales extended

Alcoholic drinks cannot be sold from midnight to 10 a.m. until 26 January. From 27 January until 28 February, the ban on selling alcohol is extended from 10 p.m. to 10 a.m.