Have Your Passport or Social Card When Leaving Home: Nikol Pashinyan

The Prime Minister of Armenia, Nikol Pashinyan, has addressed the citizens of Armenia in a message. He noted that the new coronavirus pandemic is not only continuing to spread around the world but is also gaining momentum according to the WHO. The Prime Minister reported that there are over 350,000 confirmed cases of coronavirus worldwide, with more than 16,000 people having died from the infection.

“What we know about the coronavirus is that it is an infection that rapidly spreads from person to person, affecting the respiratory system, manifested by a dry, persistent cough, shortness of breath, and can lead to severe pneumonia. A person infected with the coronavirus may not show any symptoms; they may be infected without coughing or having respiratory issues or fever. In such cases, a person may not even realize they are a carrier and might recover easily, posing no danger to themselves, but the problem is that they can infect many friends and relatives, some of whom may indeed be at risk,” he stated.

Pashinyan mentioned that citizens would have the opportunity to visit shops, banks, and pharmacies but also urged them to primarily make use of online services. He called on citizens to leave their homes only when absolutely necessary, ensuring they carry their passport or social card, not to gather in groups of more than two even in courtyards, to maintain hygiene rules at home, and to follow the instructions of the Ministry of Health.

The head of the government also noted that this period of isolation is an excellent opportunity to quit smoking, lose excess weight, adopt a culture of light eating, and engage in physical exercise while maintaining at least 10 meters of social distance and avoiding team sports.