Minister of the Interior Raimundas Palaitis (right) speaks at Tuesday's press conference. Both Palaitis and Deputy Health Minister Artūras Skikas (left) said the situation in Lithuania is not dangerous but that the government would keep close watch on the pandemic. Photo by Nathan Greenhalgh.

VILNIUS — The Lithuanian government declared a flu pandemic throughout the country Tuesday afternoon.

“It is a pandemic level in Lithuania, so we will activate certain mechanisms of civil security,” said Minister of the Interior Raimundas Palaitis said at a Tuesday press conference. “It is not a very dangerous situation, but it is an extreme situation.”

Four hundred people went to hospitals or clinics this week for flu treatment, and 200 are currently hospitalized. Two people are in critical condition.

Artūras Skikas, deputy health minister, said at the conference that “all hospitals are ready for this and all medical institutions have some reserves.”

Between 12,000 and 15,000 reserves of flu medicine have been given out, and Skikas said that all major hospitals have received the medicine. The government is expecting more shipments of the vaccine next month. So far 6,000 packages of flu medication have been given out, and Skikas said that more will be allocated to medical institutions if needed.

The press conference was held directly after a meeting by the Emergency Management Commission, which consists of government ministers and medical representatives.

Thirty-nine municipalities are considered epidemic areas, almost two-thirds of the country.

However, Palaitis pointed out that “it doesn’t mean that half of the Lithuanian population is infected. It’s only one percent who are infected.”

One percent of the total population is the threshold for declaring a pandemic. At this stage most of the precautions taken by the government are not compulsory. The government recommends schools and mass gatherings to close or be postponed, and urges workers in the general public to wear masks or gloves. The government will also simplify the process of sick leave for public workers.

“No extreme measures will be taken, any, at the moment,” Palaitis emphasized.

The only mandate from the government is that hospitals are now under quarantine, and visitors are not allowed. If the pandemic escalates, however, all schools, universities, and public gatherings will be canceled.

A second meeting among  commission members will occur on Tuesday to assess the situation. Palaitas and Skikas both said that information collection will be emphasized.

Different institutions “need to manage information and therefore we join our forces,” Skikas said. “There are many municipalities, many medical institutions and many departments that will provide information. We will consult with the ministers about how many schools to close.”

The number of schools currently closed nationwide is at least one-third. Exact numbers have not been given out to the media by either the Ministry of the Interior or the Ministry of Health.

“It is an economic question when you close the kindergartens and the parents are going to work,” Skikas said. “So what do you do? How do you pay?”