Amid increasing infections, the Estonian government plans to strengthen the law to improve compliance with wearing a mask to prevent the spread of coronavirus, Prime Minister Kaja Kallas (Reform) said on Tuesday. Last week, more than 8,000 new cases of the coronavirus were diagnosed across Estonia, a record high.

She said if the measures in place do not lead to a drop in new cases of coronavirus, new restrictions will be implemented.

"We always have in reserve what other countries have done, perhaps a complete restriction of movement," Kallas said.

Discussing precautions that have already been taken, she said: "We have increased monitoring of compliance, we have taken hospitals to the next level of readiness, which means creating more bed places. But it is all about dealing with the consequences. We need to get the infection rates down. I hope we can get them down."

Minister for Health and Labor Tanel Kiik (Center) said he supports the creation of an amendment to the Infectious Diseases Control Act so there would be a specific obligation to wear a mask.

He said it would also be possible to change the law so that police would be responsible for enforcement of the rule.

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