Discussions Underway on Making Treatment for Unvaccinated Citizens Paid: When Will the Decision Come Into Force?

The Ministry of Health plans to make the treatment of citizens who refuse the COVID-19 vaccine a paid service. This was stated by the spokesperson for the Minister of Health, Hripsime Khachatryan, in a conversation with 24News.

It is possible that the package of changes will come into effect from December 1.

"This is not new; we have been discussing the potential for a number of stricter measures for a month now, and the timeline is conditional. The logic is this: if the state provides the vaccine free of charge, which significantly reduces the likelihood of hospitalization and severe illness, those people who refuse the free vaccine may be required to pay for their COVID treatment," Khachatryan elaborated.

There is also discussion regarding reducing the deadline for taking a coronavirus test from 14 days to either 10 or 7 days. "The maximum expression period of the infection is 14 days, and the minimum is 3 days. We have chosen the maximum, and it is possible that this period may change; we might reduce it to 10 or 7 days," emphasized Hripsime Khachatryan.

The representative of the Ministry did not rule out that after changing to 10 or 7 days, the issue of establishing a 3-day period might also be discussed.

According to her, free vaccinations will continue in parallel. "We are doing everything to ensure that new doses are brought in, so there is no shortage of vaccines. We are conducting bilateral negotiations with individual countries and negotiating through the Covax platform as well."

The Ministry plans that there should be a negative PCR test result or a vaccination certificate near the entrances to public places. "In places (concert halls, restaurants, etc.) where there is a high possibility of human congestion, according to the discussed scenario, entry should be allowed with a negative PCR test result or a vaccination certificate," concluded the Health Ministry spokesperson.