No Changes to the Requirement of Submitting PCR Tests to Employers, Deputy Minister Provides Details

There has been no change and will not be any change regarding the requirement for unvaccinated employees to submit a mandatory PCR test to their employers once a week. The only adjustment needed in the legal act is to not specify who will bear the costs of this testing. This opinion was expressed by Deputy Minister of Health Gevorg Simonian in an interview with Sputnik Armenia, addressing the decision made by the Constitutional Court.

According to a directive issued by Minister of Health Anahit Avanesyan, starting October 1, all employees are required to provide their employer with either a certificate of vaccination against COVID-19 or present the results of a PCR test every 14 days (from December 1, weekly).

The “Hayastan” alliance challenged this decision in the Constitutional Court, which deemed unconstitutional Avanesyan's order that unvaccinated employees must bear the costs of PCR testing themselves.

“Currently, there is no issue that requires resolution. There is only a legal debate in the professional domain. On one hand, there is the minister’s order that stipulates an employee must pay for their PCR testing, and on the other, there is the Constitutional Court's decision stating that it is unconstitutional for them to do so. It is simply a matter of interpretation,” said Simonian.

According to him, citizens may undergo testing at their own expense, borrowing from a neighbor or relying on their employer’s resources; in other words, it is their affair to decide who will cover the costs.

When asked if employers are prepared to cover the costs of their employees’ PCR testing and whether the ministry has received complaints from employers regarding this matter, the deputy minister replied that there have been no complaints, as no one demands that employers cover the expenses.

Simonian added that there are employers who have partially or fully assumed this burden, while some use free testing as a mechanism for encouragement.

In response to the observation whether a new order will be issued to clarify the current situation, Simonian stated that there will be none, as the existing order is constitutional.

“The testing process is received very negatively by everyone; however, a simple thing must be understood: our aim is not merely to conduct testing, but to promote vaccinations. Vaccinations save lives, prevent the spread of infection, while testing only reduces risks and somewhat creates inconveniences for citizens to encourage them to get vaccinated,” Simonian said. He added that vaccination resolves all issues, including financial ones and time costs.