Covid-19. May 24

As of today (May 24), the government has allowed larger gatherings and has extended the opening hours of cafes and restaurants by an hour. Saunas and swimming pools will operate more freely, all shops will be able to open at weekends, and the number of viewers at outdoor events has been doubled. From today, Opportunity Passport also comes into force.

The Opportunity Passport is a document that certifies that the person in possession of it has already been vaccinated against coronavirus, has recovered from it, or tested that they are not infected with it. It is made available in the form of an electronic QR code.

On the gpasas.lt website, the Opportunity Passport has been downloaded by over 100,000 people, informs Diana Vilytė, director of service management at the Centre of Registers.

Opportunity Passport holders can enjoy many privileges compared to unvaccinated people. Any Lithuanian citizen over 16 years of age can obtain the Opportunity Passport. People up to 16 years of age will receive the relevant QR code without any prior action.

The official reported toll of the Covid-19 pandemic is severely under-reported. The number of people whose deaths were directly or indirectly caused by the pandemic could be two to three times higher, and range from six to eight million, the WHO reported on Friday.

On the occasion of the presentation of the annual report presenting world health statistics, experts from the World Health Organization estimated that in 2020 at least 3 million people died due to the pandemic. Official statistics say 1.2 million victims.

According to data reported by the medical authorities of individual countries, by May 2021 the pandemic claimed 3.4 million victims. According to WHO, this number can really be two or three times higher.

“According to my conservative estimates, the number of victims of the pandemic could be between 6 million and 8 million,” said WHO Deputy Director General Samir Asma.