Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.com) -- Starting from 6 December, Latvia is introducing mandatory weekly COVID testing of employees who come into contact with other people during their work, the Estonian national broadcasting Rus.err reports.

Employees will need to take a PCR test for COVID-19 twice a week. The new rule also applies to vaccinated people. However, it will not affect those working remotely or in rooms completely closed from other people.

The tests will mostly be paid for by the government. “Now we are working to make the tests available to every employee and employer,” said Janis Tsitskovskis, director of the State Chancellery and head of the operational management group.

The goal of the new regulation, passed by the country’s government, is to minimize the risks of a re-outbreak of COVID-19 with serious health consequences.