Who Will Not Present Negative PCR Test Results: Health Ministry

Changes have been made to the Order No. 17-N on the approval of sanitary rules SC N 3.1.2-001-20 applied to prevent the spread of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in the Republic of Armenia, as per the order of the Health Minister dated October 8. This was reported by the Ministry of Health.

The order specifies that an employee is an individual working based on an employment contract, individual legal act, or a civil law contract (providing services). According to the changes, a certificate confirming a negative result of the PCR test with a maximum validity of 72 hours is not required from fully vaccinated employees, one-dose vaccinated employees, those with documented absolute contraindications, pregnant women, employees under the age of 18, and employees who have previously contracted COVID-19 within 90 days from the date of the first positive PCR test.

The 90 days are calculated from the date of the first positive result that served as the basis for the diagnosis of the disease. If a person has contracted COVID-19 not for the first time, then the 90 days are calculated from the date of the first positive PCR test result serving as the basis for the last diagnosis.

Meanwhile, a remote-working employee must present a certificate confirming a negative result of the PCR test with a maximum validity of 72 hours every time they come to work, if 14 days have passed since the last certificate was presented.

The established requirements will come into effect on October 14, 2021. It should be noted that starting from November 1, employees who have not received the second dose within the maximum allowed interval for a specific vaccine and who have no absolute contraindications must present a negative result of the PCR test with a maximum validity of 72 hours.