Lithuania to suspend Covid-19 certificates from February 5

"With the spread of the much more contagious Omicron variant, both the unvaccinated and vaccinated or recovered people are at risk of infection. As a result, the effectiveness of Covid certificates as a means of limiting Covid spread is significantly diminished," the country's health ministry was quoted as saying by Lithuanian National Radio and Television.

The ministry proposed to stop the use of certificates, known as "opportunity passes" in Lithuania, given their low effectiveness with the possibility to re-introduce them in the future. The proposal was supported by the government, which suspended the use of COVID-19 certificates from February 5. 

The certificate has been issued to those vaccinated against the coronavirus or recovered from it, and allowed entry to shopping centers, beauty salons, cafes and restaurants, as well as social events held indoors.