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Restrictions on the freedom of movement and on holding public meetings and public events as necessary for preventing the spread of the COVID-19 disease

Passed 16.05.2020 No. 172

Under § 28 (6) of the Communicable Diseases Prevention and Control Act and considering § 28 (5) 2) and 3) and § 28 (8) and (9) of the same, the following restrictions are imposed:

1. Movement in public places:
1) it is allowed to be and walk around in a public place in groups of up to two people, except for families who are and walk around together or if this cannot be ensured due to the nature of the relevant work or activity;
2) indoors (except in people’s homes) and in a public place a distance of at least two metres must be kept with other persons, except for families who are and walk around together or if this cannot be ensured due to the nature of the relevant work or activity.

2. In sales areas, including in service providers’ service points and catering establishments’ seating areas (hereinafter sales area) and in public rooms of shopping centres it is allowed to walk around if the following requirements are met:
1) the requirements provided for in clause 1 are complied with and the possessor checks compliance therewith;
2) at least at the entrance to and exit from the sales area the possessor thereof has ensured the availability of disinfectants to employees and customers.

3. Until 1 July 2020 customers may be at catering establishments for the purpose of takeaway or provision of delivery and transport services from 22:00 until closing. After 1 July 2020 catering establishments will be open without restrictions.

4. Customers are subject to a total restriction on the freedom of movement (visitation prohibition) in nightclubs, casinos and slot machine halls, hookah cafés and adult clubs.

5. Passengers are subject to a total restriction on the freedom of movement concerning going on a ferry sailing on the route Tallinn–Stockholm–Tallinn for the purpose of a pleasure trip.

6. Public meetings are allowed only if the following requirements are met:
1) the organiser of a meeting ensures compliance with the requirement set out in sub-clause 2) of clause 1;
2) the organiser of an indoor meeting ensures up to 50% attendance capacity and the number of attendees up to 10 people, as of 1 June 2020 up to 50% attendance capacity and the number of attendees up to 50 people, and as of 1 July 2020 up to 50% attendance capacity and the number of attendees up to 500 people;
3) the organiser of an outdoor meeting ensures the number of attendees up to 100 people and as of 1 July 2020 the number of attendees up to 1000 people.

7. Until 31 May 2020 customers are subject to a restriction on the freedom of movement (visitation prohibition) in public saunas, spas, swimming pools and water parks. Engaging in sports or training in said places is subject to the requirements provided for in clauses 19 through 23.

8. As of 1 June 2020 customers may use public saunas, spas, swimming pools and water parks if the following requirements are met:
1) the service provider ensures compliance with the requirements set out in clause 1 or the scattering of people;
2) the service provider ensures up to 50% customer capacity of the place of provision of service;
3) the service provider ensures compliance with the disinfection requirements according to instructions from the Health Board.

Engaging in sports or training in said places is subject to the requirements provided for in clauses 19 through 23.

9. Until 31 May 2020 customers, except for customers for training purposes, are subject to a restriction on the freedom of movement (visitation prohibition) in places for the provision of entertainment services, including bowling alleys, billiard halls and children’s playrooms.

10. As of 1 June 2020 customers may be in places for the provision of entertainment services, including bowling alleys, billiard halls and children’s playrooms if the following requirements are met:
1) the service provider ensures up to 50% customer capacity;
2) the service provider ensures the availability of disinfectants;
3) the service provider ensures compliance with the disinfection requirements according to instructions from the Health Board.

11. Until 30 June 2020 all public events, including film screenings, shows/performances, concerts and conferences, fairs and festivals are prohibited. Open air public events are allowed if the spectators are in their car and the following requirements are met:
1) outside cars, the organiser of the event ensures compliance with the restrictions on the freedom of movement provided for in clause 1;
2) the organiser of the event ensures that no one gets out of their car during the event without an urgent need;
3) upon organising the parking of cars the organiser of the event ensures an adequate distance between cars;
4) the organiser of the event ensures the availability of disinfectants, where necessary.

12. As of 1 July 2020 all public events, including indoor and outdoor competitions with spectators, except for events referred to in clause 11 according to the conditions provided for in said clause, and other events are prohibited, unless the following requirements are met:
1) the organiser of the event ensures compliance with the requirement set out in clause 1;
2) the organiser of an indoor event ensures up to 50% attendance capacity but up to 500 people;
3) the organiser of an outdoor event ensures the number of attendees up to 1000 people.

13. Public religious services and other public religious rites are allowed if the restrictions established in clause 1 are complied with and the availability of disinfectants is ensured.

14. In organising the activities of basic schools, upper secondary schools, vocational educational institutions and institutions of higher education, except in organising research and development activities in universities and research institutions, also in organising the activities of institutions providing refresher training, recreational activities and hobby education and the activities of youth centres the following must be complied with:
1) compliance with the requirements provided for in clause 1 is ensured;
2) there are up to ten persons in a study group, except for examinations;
3) when organising examinations, students taking an examination are scattered in the examination room;
4) movements of groups of students in the building of the relevant educational institution and in the territory used for the provision of education are scattered;
5) shared items in the building of the relevant educational institution and in the territory used for the provision of education are disinfected after use.

15. In institutions providing refresher training where training of drivers of power-driven vehicles, driver training and training of drivers carrying dangerous goods are organised, except if training of drivers of power-driven vehicles, driver training, training of drivers carrying dangerous goods or emergency vehicle driver training is provided to a serviceman or if emergency vehicle driver training is provided to a police officer, a rescue servant, an assistant police officer or a voluntary rescuer, such training shall be provided as follows:
1) only the instructor and learner are in the vehicle;
2) the availability of disinfectants must be ensured in the vehicle for driving practice;
3) training is conducted through distance learning, or by using a simulator or means that allow keeping of distance;
4) after each driving lesson the organiser of the training organises the cleaning of the surfaces that the learner touched.

16. As of 1 June 2020 recreational activities and provision of hobby education, except for activities set out in clauses 19 through 23, shall be organised as follows:
1) compliance with the requirements provided for in clause 1 is ensured;
2) the organiser ensures up to 50% capacity indoors;
3) the organiser ensures the number of participants up to 100 people outdoors.

17. Until 11 June 2020 the activities of youth camps and student work camps are suspended for participants.

18. As of 12 June 2020 the activities of youth camps and student work camps shall take place as follows:
1) compliance with the requirements provided for in clause 1 is ensured;
2) youth camps and student work camps have up to 300 participants;
3) there are up to 20 persons in one group;
4) the organiser of the activity ensures the availability of disinfectants.

19. Until 31 May 2020 it is allowed to engage in sports, train and carry out sports and exercise events outdoors if compliance with the requirement provided for in clause 1 is ensured and if there are up to 10 participants in a group and the organiser of the activity ensures the availability of disinfectants. This restriction does not apply to sports teams if requirements arising from the international competition rules for the sport are complied with, or to training of candidates for Estonian adult sports teams and championship league teams.

20. As of 1 June 2020 it is allowed to engage in sports, train and carry out sports and exercise events outdoors if compliance with the requirement provided for in clause 1 is ensured and if there are up to 100 participants and the organiser of the activity ensures the availability of disinfectants. This restriction does not apply to sports teams if requirements arising from the international competition rules for the sport are complied with, or to training of candidates for Estonian adult sports teams and championship league teams.

21. Indoor and outdoor competitions with spectators are not allowed. Outdoor competitions are allowed if the organiser ensures compliance with the following requirements:
1) the competition has no spectators;
2) the competition has up to 100 participants;
3) the organiser of the activity ensures the availability of disinfectants.

22. Until 31 May 2020 it is prohibited to engage in sports and train and carry out sports and exercise events in training groups indoors, unless the organiser ensures compliance with the requirement provided for in clause 1, up to 50% attendance capacity, the number of participants in a group up to 10 persons and the availability of disinfectants. The group requirements and capacity requirement do not apply to sports teams if requirements arising from the international competition rules for the sport are complied with, or to training of candidates for Estonian adult sports teams and championship league teams.

23. As of 1 June 2020 it is prohibited to engage in sports and train and carry out sports and exercise events, unless the organiser ensures compliance with the requirement provided for in clause 1 and up to 50% attendance capacity and the availability of disinfectants. The group requirements and capacity requirement do not apply to sports teams if requirements arising from the international competition rules for the sport are complied with, or to training of candidates for Estonian adult sports teams and championship league teams.

24. Visiting museums and exhibitions is allowed considering the following requirements:
1) the service provider ensures compliance with the requirement provided for in clause 1;
2) in the case of group visits there may be no more than ten visitors in a group;
3) the service provider ensures the availability of disinfectants;
4) in rooms open for the public, the service provider has ensured wet cleaning of surfaces subject to frequent touching after every 2 to 4 hours;
5) interactive displays are closed or the service provider has ensured their wet cleaning after each use or the service provider has made disposable gloves available to the visitors and has ensured the safe handling thereof after use;
6) if possible, the service provider replaces physical information materials handed out free of charge with digital ones;
7) no creative work or workshops with shared means of work are organised or disinfection is ensured after each user.

25. Under § 44 (1) of the Communicable Diseases Prevention and Control Act, supervision over the requirements imposed by this Order is exercised by the Health Board. The Health Board may involve the Police and Border Guard Board in the supervision, adhering to the requirements and procedure for professional assistance provided for in the Administrative Co‑operation Act.

26. The restrictions and measures established by this Order shall apply until the date specified in this Order or until this Order is changed or repealed and the need for these restrictions and measures shall be assessed no later than after every two weeks.

27. This Order shall be published by broadcasters, on the website of the Government of the Republic and in the official gazette Riigi Teataja.

28. This Order takes effect on 18 May 2020.

This Order is issued considering the fact that under § 2 2) of the Communicable Diseases Prevention and Control Act the COVID-19 disease caused by the coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 corresponds to the signs of a new dangerous communicable disease because there is no effective treatment and the spread of the disease may exceed the hospital treatment capacity, and the requirements, measures and restrictions established by this Order clearly have a significant social and economic effect. The risk of the virus spreading is currently very high and therefore, in order to minimise the risk, it is proportional to restrict people’s freedom of movement in the places referred to in the Order for the protection of the life and health of people and overriding public interest in order to prevent the spread of the coronavirus SARS‑CoV-2 causing the COVID-19 disease.

For the protection of the life and health of people and overriding public interest, including for the protection of the continuity of the state, this Order establishes requirements, measures and restrictions that are inevitably necessary for preventing the spread of the virus. The reasons and considerations are set out in the explanatory memorandum to the Order, which will be published on the website of the Government of the Republic.

Failure to duly comply with measures for preventing the spread of the virus will prompt the application of the administrative coercive measures set out in § 28 (2) or (3) of the Law Enforcement Act. The maximum amount of penalty payment is 9600 euros. This penalty payment, which serves the purpose of enforcing the requirements, measures and restrictions imposed by this Order and preventing the spread of the virus, may be imposed repeatedly.

This Order can be appealed against by filing a challenge with the Government of the Republic pursuant to the procedure provided by the Administrative Procedure Act within 30 days as of the day the relevant person became or should have become aware of the Order. This Order can also be appealed against by filing an action with the administrative court pursuant to the procedure provided for in the Code of Administrative Court Procedure within 30 days as of the day of announcement of this Order.