Children Aged 12 and Above Can Be Vaccinated with Parental Consent, Minister Says

“This is a requirement of the law; everyone is equal before the law and should wear masks, that is the requirement,” said Health Minister Anahit Avanesyan during a conversation with reporters regarding instances of officials not wearing masks. The minister emphasized that wearing masks is not optional at this time; Armenia is experiencing a tense epidemic situation, and everyone must equally comply with the law's mandate. She stated that it does not matter if someone is an official or not; if a person has violated the law, they should be fined.

The hospital bed capacity remains overstretched, with no available spaces and citizens waiting in line; however, the number of people in line has decreased, which Avanesyan described as encouraging. “Approximately 3,100 beds are continuously utilized. Our entire potential in terms of oxygen, medications, and professional capacity is mobilized to provide timely medical assistance to our COVID patients,” she noted.

Avanesyan also stressed that the solution to the tense situation is an immediate increase in vaccination rates and ensuring community immunity. In countries where vaccination rates exceed 70%, there is a sharp decline in rates of both death and hospitalization.

In Armenia, children can also be vaccinated against COVID-19. “The opportunity to vaccinate children has been created, and with parental written consent, children aged 12 and older can be vaccinated. We have about 50 children who have already been vaccinated,” Avanesyan stated.

She addressed her use of air ambulance services, noting that she was dispatched to Syunik and, if necessary, she would rapidly send a professional team to a remote region using all available resources. “In cases of COVID or otherwise, the instances that justify the use of air ambulance services are clearly specified. If I used it, I deemed it necessary,” she concluded.