An emergency situation is declared in Estonia on 12 March 2020 and remains in force until 1 May 2020 if not decised otherwise.
The City of Tallinn is following the restrictions and recommendations of the National Health Board and the Government (https://www.kriis.ee/en;
https://www.kriis.ee/en/emergency-situation-estonia) preventing the spread of the novel coronavirus. Additional measures have also been implemented by the City as a precaution.
Coronavirus info for Tallinn can be found at https://www.tallinn.ee/Tallinn-s-measures-for-containing-coronavirus
More information about specific actions can be found in a selection of press releases below:
- Due to the emergency situation, the cleaning works of Tallinn’s streets have started ahead of schedule. Additional cleaning works have been added to the plan in order to help prevent the spread of dust and the virus https://www.tallinn.ee/eng/Uudis-Cleaning-streets-intensified-due-to-the-emergency-situation?filter_otsing_uudis_rubriik_id=386
- The librarians of Tallinn Central Library provide information regarding everyday life in emergency situation to lessen the burden of official crisis helpline and frontline workes– for example, questions about the quarantine, moving around, travelling and other important areas of life that have changed a lot due to the COVID-19 containing efforts https://www.tallinn.ee/eng/Uudis-Tallinn-Central-Library-to-offer-support-in-finding-relevant-information-also-in-English?filter_otsing_uudis_rubriik_id=386
- All schools in Estonia have had to implement distance learning since March 16. Due to good cooperation between schools, parents, teachers and students, distance learning is well organized and runs smoothly in Tallinn. https://www.tallinn.ee/eng/Uudis-Distance-learning-got-off-to-a-good-start-in-Tallinn
- All schools of Tallinn are in distance learning, students can not have free school meal asi t was provided by the municipality so far. since 16 March. The City implemented a system of distributing weekly food packages for making lunch at home for students who wish https://www.tallinn.ee/eng/Uudis-Tallinn-s-students-to-receive-weekly-food-packages-for-making-lunch-at-home?filter_otsing_uudis_rubriik_id=386
- Tallinn City Government approved aid measures for entrepreneurs (city’s business partners) to manage the negative effects of the emergency. The aid measures are primarily targeted at businesses that have a contractual relationship with the city or have a big impact on the city’s activities. https://www.tallinn.ee/eng/Uudis-Tallinn-to-implement-special-measures-to-support-entrepreneurs?filter_otsing_uudis_rubriik_id=386
- Tallinn Central Library offers delivery of books and other items via parcel machines https://www.tallinn.ee/eng/Uudis-Tallinn-Central-Library-offers-delivery-of-books-and-other-items-via-parcel-machines
- Kindergartens remain open amid emergency situation in Tallinn https://www.tallinn.ee/eng/Uudis-Kindergartens-to-remain-open-amid-emergency-situation-in-Tallinn
- Tallinn City Government decided to exempt all children from the municipal kindergarten fee from March 16th until the end of April https://www.tallinn.ee/eng/Uudis-All-children-exempted-from-kindergarten-fee-until-the-end-of-April.
- As the kindergarten fee for children in municipal kindergartens has been waived, the Tallinn City Goverment decided to support children in private kindergartens and daycares equally to municipal kindergartens. https://www.tallinn.ee/eng/Uudis-New-allowances-financial-support-for-children-in-private-kindergartens-and-daycares
- The City of Tallinn will provide emergency assistance in cooperation with some stores who will deliver the ordered goods to the residents of the city who are in difficult situation. https://www.tallinn.ee/eng/Uudis-Talliners-in-need-of-help-can-order-groceries-home
- Tallinn Zoo is closed from March 26 as a measure to contain the spread of COVID-19. https://www.tallinn.ee/eng/Uudis-Tallinn-Zoo-closed-due-to-COVID-19-emergency-situation
- Tallinn City Government decided that all public playgrounds and sports grounds shall be closed starting from March 24. https://www.tallinn.ee/eng/Uudis-all-public-playgrounds-and-sports-grounds-are-closed
- Using public transport temporarily free for all https://www.tallinn.ee/eng/Uudis-Using-public-transport-temporarily-free-for-all
- Changes in waste management during the emergency situation have been made and recommendations given regarding both conventional waste shipments, work of civic amenity sites (CAS) and waste management in general https://www.tallinn.ee/eng/Uudis-Changes-in-waste-management-during-the-emergency-situation.
- COVID-Help Platform. „Community helps“ – “Kogukond aitab”. City of Tallinn is working together with local start-ups and communities to offer basic services for people in isolation. On Friday, March 13, 2020, Estonian startup foundation Garage48 launched an online hackathon to figure out ways to help communities during the COVID-19 pandemic. One of the solutions is the web-based platform COVID-Help that connects volunteers from local communities with most vulnerable members of those communities. Today there are more than 2000 volunteers connected to this platform who offer practical help, like doing shopping for those in quarantine or just calling and talking to lonely elderly people and thus taking some of the stress off local social workers.
As information changes daily, the best resource for Update are web-links. We will keep you posted about additional measures.
