No Need for Lockdown: Arsen Torosyan Trusts Sputnik V

The former Armenian Minister of Health trusts the Sputnik V vaccine based on his experience, as he has been vaccinated and subsequently did not contract the virus.

In an interview with Sputnik Armenia, the chief of staff to the Prime Minister, Arsen Torosyan, assured that there is no expectation of a lockdown in Armenia. “In May 2020, we already decided that we needed to continue a normal life while adhering to the rules. The same applies today; there is an epidemic surge, but we cannot halt life,” he noted. In this context, the pre-election campaigns and elections will also take place.

“The formation of power by the people is an integral part of normal life, and we must protect that right,” he added.

The former health minister emphasized his trust in the Sputnik V vaccine, noting that he was vaccinated last year in November and December and has not been infected since. “I was the first person to get vaccinated against the coronavirus in Armenia during those months. After that, my family members became infected, but I did not,” he stated.

According to him, despite the financial impact of acquiring vaccines on the budget, it is a priority for Armenia. “Recently, we acquired 24,000 doses of AstraZeneca and 15,000 doses of Sputnik V. We are purchasing each dose of the latter for $11,” he explained.

Torosyan remarked that the most accessible vaccine is Sputnik V, with plans to purchase hundreds of thousands of doses. However, even if the entire population of Armenia is vaccinated, the coronavirus will not disappear from the country due to two main reasons: first, vaccines are not produced for children, and second, there is constant movement in and out of the country.

It is noteworthy that a state of emergency was declared in Armenia on March 16, 2020, which was extended several times and lasted until September 11. The terms of the extended state of emergency underwent certain changes. On September 11, 2020, the government decided that a quarantine regime would be in effect from September 12 to January 11, 2021. Some restrictions were eased, but the requirement to wear masks in public places remains in effect.

As of March 30, the number of coronavirus cases in Armenia has reached 191,491. Currently, 14,499 people are receiving treatment (+212), 847,475 tests have been conducted (+4658), and 172,605 have recovered (+509). There have been 3,497 reported deaths (+21). Additionally, the number of people who died of other causes but were infected with coronavirus increased by 8 in the last day, totaling 890.