Arman Abovyan: Imagine the Serious Expenses People Will Face in These Tight Conditions

Member of the National Assembly from the Prosperous Armenia faction, Arman Abovyan, wrote on his Facebook page: “Dear people, as you are aware, the Ministry of Health has decided that starting May 25, everyone must wear protective masks both outdoors and indoors.

Now, a few very important observations. I am not discussing the necessity of wearing masks and gloves, as I am well aware that there is a pandemic raging in the country and perhaps this requirement is logical. However, in this case, it is necessary to understand a few nuances.

Look, a protective mask costs on average 150-250 drams, gloves 50-100 drams, and there is medical guidance stating that both masks and gloves should NOT be worn for more than three hours. Now, a simple calculation: suppose a person is away from home for an average of 10 hours a day (8 hours at work, a couple of hours to get home, shopping, or having coffee with friends at a café, in short, we understand why that’s 10 hours).

It turns out that a person must change their mask and gloves at least three times a day, resulting in an additional cost of 600-1000 drams per day. Over a month, this adds up to 18-30 thousand drams for just one person, and if there are 2-3 people working in a household, then the expenses naturally double or triple.

I apologize a thousand times, but can you imagine the serious expenses that people will incur, especially in this ‘tight situation’? Some may say, ‘What’s the problem? Let the person manage with one mask for a few days...’ I hasten to disappoint them, as if a mask is worn for more than three hours, it loses its purpose, since the mask becomes contaminated and, moreover, can even become somewhat dangerous, as it simply turns into a repository of various viruses and bacteria stuck to your face.

What to do:

1. Using all administrative levers, compel mask manufacturers or importers to lower the prices of masks and gloves, as one does not need to be a genius to understand that, for instance, the real price of a mask cannot exceed several tens of drams. Or, if the importer can justify that a simple mask can cost 150 drams, then some support mechanism should be implemented so that, ultimately, protective equipment reach people at reasonable prices.

2. The state must ensure FREE provision of masks and gloves to vulnerable groups (the elderly, pensioners, chronic patients, etc.).

These two issues require urgent solutions, if, of course, government bodies are genuinely interested in making positive progress in the fight against coronavirus.”