Stricter Measures to Prevent the Spread of Coronavirus to be Implemented

Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan chaired a meeting of the commission coordinating efforts to prevent the spread of coronavirus in the Republic of Armenia. This was reported by the Information and Public Relations Department of the Prime Minister’s Office.

In his remarks, Prime Minister Pashinyan stated, "Our expectation and prediction that the pandemic of the new type of coronavirus would last at least a year has, in fact, been justified and continues to be justified, and now the coronavirus continues to spread all around the world. The new circumstance that has emerged is the use of vaccines, and today we will discuss the current situation regarding coronavirus in Armenia and our actions, particularly vaccination policies, our agreements on vaccine procurement, and further steps.”

Health Minister Anahit Avanesyan presented the epidemiological situation in Armenia, noting that as of today, there have been a total of 190,741 confirmed cases of coronavirus, of which 172,096 have recovered, and 3,476 have resulted in death. Currently, 14,287 patients are undergoing treatment for the coronavirus. A total of 842,817 tests have been conducted. Statistical data were presented regarding the reproduction rate of the virus, the increase in case numbers, bed occupancy rates, and available hospital capacities. The Minister noted that the comparison of these indicators over the past seven days is concerning, and the epidemiological situation regarding coronavirus in Armenia remains tense, and may worsen if control measures are not tightened.

Minister Avanesyan also addressed the process of acquiring the Covid-19 vaccine, reporting that yesterday, March 28, the first batch of vaccine, consisting of 24,000 doses, was imported into Armenia. It is intended for at-risk groups and will be administered on a voluntary basis. The effectiveness and safety data of the imported vaccine meet the standards set by the World Health Organization. Information was also reported on the efforts to secure additional shipments of the Covid-19 vaccine.

The meeting discussed priority actions to prevent the spread of coronavirus. The Prime Minister proposed organizing work in the following areas: continuous vaccination, increasing the rate of mask-wearing, tightening control measures, and increasing hospital capacity. In this regard, several proposals were discussed, including the procurement of different types of vaccines. Questions related to preventive measures in educational institutions were also raised. It was emphasized that efforts should be based on the principles and experiences used during previous crisis periods of the coronavirus.

The Prime Minister instructed to enhance supervisory inspections, particularly in closed spaces and public transportation, continue public awareness campaigns to promote mask-wearing culture, and focus on acquiring new batches of vaccines.