The Government has announced a six-month mortgage holiday for those whose incomes have been affected by Covid-19.
In the first week of quarantine in Lithuania, thousands of volunteers in the capital of Vilnius stepped up.
Entrepreneurs went online to raise funds for medical equipment. Telecommunications companies provided resources to coordinate the joint effort. Volunteers offered to walk the dogs of overworked doctors and nurses who couldn't gethome.
Distilleries and chemical plants began using their lines to produce disinfectants. Popular restaurants decided to provide free food for medical staff, servicemen, volunteers and isolated people.
Others started a plan to help the elderly by doing their shopping for them, and making sure they got official messages by using posters, flyers and even drones.
Volunteers are using drones to distribute important information about COVID-19. Photo / Supplied
Lithuanian authorities last week announced precautionary measures to prevent the spread of the COVID-19 virus in the country. Foreign nationals are not allowed to enter the country unless under exceptional circumstances, such as diplomatic staff or travellers in transit to another country. In a country with a population of 2.7 million, there have been at least 160 cases of COVID-19 since the end of February.
Museums, theatres, cinemas, schools and universities are closed, as well as other non-essential businesses, including restaurants and bars.
It all hit as Vilnius was experiencing a tourism boom.
A provocative ad was launched in August 2018 for the little-visited capital of the Baltic country, featured a young woman lying on bed sheets printed with a map of Europe and clutching a handful of cloth where Vilnius is located.
"Nobody knows where it is, but when you find it, it's amazing. Vilnius, the G-spot of Europe," read the advertisement, which aimed to portray the city as the continent's undiscovered treasure.
A year later, the city was experiencing a significant influx in tourists. Now, they're nowhere to be seen.
But it's not stopping the residents from uniting.
One volunteer group in the city, Gedimino Legionas, has over 3000 volunteers and is using the quarantine to help others unite by getting direct support to others. Competing telecommunications providers have joined other businesses and public institutions in organising a national volunteer coordination centre.
"I am very proud to see my city showing such unity and solidarity. I think it really shows the spirit of Vilnius," said Remigijus Šimašius, the mayor of Vilnius.
"We are the city of personalities. But in times of crisis we come together and support each other. That's when we show our real force."
Lithuania has banned foreign nationals from entering the country. Photo / Supplied
The force is set to continue into the weekend, as entrepreneurs and businesses plan to take part in a "hack the crisis" hackathon.
Organised by entrepreneur Vladas Lašas, the three day event is aimed at generating solutions for healthcare, emergency response, economy and other services impacted by the quarantine. Volunteers from the Lithuanian government, corporates and startup community are helping to coordinate the activities.
Other countries are also joining in on a hackathon of their own to find solutions to COVID-19, including Finland, Estonia, Poland and Austria.
Many businesses in Lithuania are trying to direct their efforts towards helping the medical profession, such as addressing the shortage in surgical masks and equipment.
Public transport is being disinfected and passenger use limited to ensure social distancing is maintained. Photo / Supplied
Larger businesses have extended an offer of free internet services to all medical facilities, while real estate developers MG Baltic Group purchased and donated much-needed lung ventilation equipment to Vilnius city medical facilities.
New ideas seem to come forward every day, showing the world what a small but united community can do in the face of a crisis.
