One-Month Quarantine Imposed Across Artsakh

The President of the Republic of Artsakh, Arayik Harutyunyan, has signed a government decision imposing a quarantine across the entire territory of the Republic of Artsakh due to the coronavirus disease (COVID-19), effective from November 24, 2021, at 17:00 until December 24, 2021, at 17:00. The coordination of the quarantine implementation has been assigned to the State Minister of the Republic of Artsakh, Artak Beglaryan. This information has been reported by the press service of the President of the Republic of Artsakh.

During the quarantine, the following key measures and restrictions will be applied:

1. Public authority bodies of the Republic of Artsakh, organizations engaged in economic activities, providing services, and those not involved in economic activities must ensure compliance with the relevant sanitary and epidemiological safety rules established by the Minister of Health of the Republic of Artsakh.
2. Visits to institutions providing long-term care services and psychiatric organizations are allowed only in the absence of active COVID-19 cases and provided that sanitary and epidemiological safety rules are observed.
3. The educational process can be conducted in all educational institutions only in accordance with the relevant sanitary and epidemiological safety rules established by the Minister of Health of the Republic of Artsakh.
4. All educational institutions operating in the city of Stepanakert will conduct classes remotely until November 27, inclusive.
5. Gatherings can be organized and held with a maximum of 100 participants, in compliance with the sanitary and epidemiological safety rules established by the Minister of Health of the Republic of Artsakh.
6. Indoor events may have a maximum of 40 participants (20 participants for children’s events) in accordance with the relevant rules.
7. When outside the residential area and during movement, the presence of an identification document or a copy thereof (including an electronic copy) is mandatory. The copy must be visible, and the information contained therein must be sufficiently clear and legible to ensure proper identification.
8. Parents of students in institutions conducting remote education, pregnant women, individuals over 55 years old, and those in at-risk categories should be organized to work remotely wherever possible. The fact of being in an at-risk category must be confirmed by a certificate issued by a doctor.

Based on this government decision, the Minister of Health of the Republic of Artsakh has approved the relevant sanitary and epidemiological safety rules for various sectors and groups of society. In addition to the personal protective measures, other restrictions and measures have also been established. For instance, individuals working in public authority bodies and certain types of organizations in the private sector must present a negative result of the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test for COVID-19, conducted no more than 96 hours prior, when arriving at their workplace every 14 days, according to the Minister of Health’s order No. 264-A dated November 15, 2021, except for fully vaccinated individuals, those vaccinated with one dose, employees with documented absolute contraindication, pregnant women, employees under 18 years old, as well as those who have previously had COVID-19 within 90 days of their first positive PCR result. The PCR test will be conducted at the employee’s expense.