Unvaccinated Citizens Will Have to Pay 500,000 to 720,000 Drams for Tests

Starting October 1, a decree by the Minister of Health has come into force in Armenia, which stipulates that due to the coronavirus pandemic, employees are required to either get vaccinated or provide a negative coronavirus test result to their employer by October 14.

A significant portion of the citizens has already made their choice by getting vaccinated, while some will try to avoid vaccination through testing. It seemed that by simply undergoing testing twice a month, one could avoid vaccination. However, it turns out that our citizens will incur substantial financial costs.

Given the duration of the pandemic, the Minister of Health's decree will remain in effect for a considerable time—at least 3 to 4 years. This means that for at least 3 to 4 years, citizens will have to undergo testing twice a month unless they choose to get vaccinated. Based on a 3-year estimate, this amounts to 72 tests. The prices for PCR tests in Armenia range from 7,000 to 15,000 drams, with an average of 10,000 drams. Therefore, for those unwilling to get vaccinated over 3 years, the cost of testing alone will be 72 x 10,000 = 720,000 drams.

Are our citizens prepared to bear such a heavy financial burden, or will they choose to get vaccinated instead? Each individual will make their own choice: to get vaccinated or to pay at least 500,000 to 720,000 drams for tests. Perhaps the current authorities in Armenia are not particularly concerned about the situation citizens find themselves in; moreover, the government is doing everything to ensure vaccination, as they assert that collective vaccination is the only means of combating the pandemic.

This information can be read in full in today's issue of the newspaper.