The decision to mix vaccines against COVID-19 will be made exclusively by the doctor who directs the person to vaccination, said Deputy Minister of Health, Chief State Sanitary Doctor Ihor Kuzin.
“The main recommendation was that, in fact, mixing of vaccines is allowed, but subject to the algorithm. Mixing one or another vaccine is not the choice of the patient, it is solely the decision of the doctor who directs for vaccination,” he said in an interview with the Ukrayinska Pravda publication.
According to Kuzin, the doctor can make such a decision only in a few cases: if after the first dose the patient had a severe adverse reaction; due to humanitarian problems. For example, if a person abroad received the first Moderna vaccination and, having returned to Ukraine, does not have the opportunity to be vaccinated with it for the second time.
The deputy minister added that it is possible to combine either mRNA vaccines (Moderna and Pfizer), or the first dose of AstraZeneca, and the second with mRNA vaccines. Mixing of other types of vaccines is not envisaged yet.
The introduction of strict quarantine in Ukraine will depend on the rate and coverage of vaccinations, said Deputy Minister of Health, Chief State Sanitary Doctor Ihor Kuzin.
“Now we use adaptive quarantine, which works according to fixed indicators. We have a general condition: if in two or more regions for a certain time, two or more indicators are exceeded, then Ukraine will move to the next epidemic level – that is, ‘yellow,’ ‘orange’ or even ‘red.’ Therefore, it all depends on how quickly the vaccination of risk groups and the bulk of the population will be completed, and how many cases will be registered,” he said in an interview with Ukrayinska Pravda ezine.
Kuzin added that so far there are no signs of an outbreak in Ukraine, and most regions are at the plateau level. However, Kyiv, Kharkiv and Luhansk regions show a threatening trend, where it is necessary to strengthen the system for identifying and isolating contact persons.
At the same time, Kuzin stressed that after the completion of testing of internal COVID-certificates, the Ministry of Health will work on the introduction of certain “privileges” for vaccinated people.
“The main idea that was used in other states, and which Ukraine is most likely to use, is the maximum use of the internal digital certificates. It should become a conditional pass. Now internal certificates are only being tested, while there is no information on how it will work at one or another level of epidemic danger. We will be thinking it over after testing is complete. It will be a QR code that will show that a person is vaccinated or ill, has a negative PCR or antigen test,” the deputy minister said.
Kuzin added that with the introduction of such certificates, it is necessary to “maintain a balance between human rights”, because a certain part of Ukrainians cannot receive a vaccine due to medical contraindications.
The deputy minister stressed that the mask regime in Ukraine would not be canceled yet. This issue will only be considered when the majority of the population is vaccinated and there is no risk of transmitting the infection.
The average price for primary residential real estate in Kyiv increased by 16.2% over the six months and amounted to $1,705 per square meter, Corporate Communications Manager at City One Development Halyna Martynenko has told Interfax-Ukraine.
“The growth in prices in new buildings amounted to 9.3% in the second quarter, which is almost the same as Kyiv’s real estate gained for entire 2018, some 10%,” Martynenko said.
According to her, from 2014 to 2017, the average prices for square meters in Kyiv’s new buildings fell in price (by 24%, 12%, 5% and 3% per year, respectively), but in 2018 and 2019 there was an increase – by 10% and 22%.
“The coronavirus 2020 showed stability – a decrease by a symbolic 0.1%. It is highly likely that, in general, by late 2021, real estate will return growth rates at the level of 2019,” Martynenko said.
According to an analytical report by City One Development, the business class increased in price the most in Kyiv market – in the first half of 2021, the square meter rose in price by 22%, to $2,252. The most stable was the premium (elite) class – an increase of 9%, to $3,571 per square meter. The economy class has risen in price by 15%, to $978 per square meter, and the comfort class – by 17%, to $1,205 square meter.
In general, there are 186 objects in the primary market of Kyiv. More than 40% of them are positioned in the comfort class. The third is business class. Less than 10% – the premium, elite class.
“Once the most capacious segment of the economy occupies today only 15% of the market. It has shrunk over the year from 18% to 15% and continues to decline,” Martynenko said.
According to the analytical report by City One Development, in the second quarter of 2021, sales started in 11 new residential complexes, in total it is more than 4,000 apartments.
The economy class is represented by the only project, Navigator2 from DBK-Zhytlobud developer, for 1,350 apartments. The comfort class – four projects, together for 1,415 apartments, and the business class – five projects with a total of 908 apartments. The premium class is represented by one project for 86 apartments.
The founder and majority shareholder of the Ukrainian agricultural holding KSG Agro Serhiy Kasianov plans to build a pig-breeding complex in Kazakhstan for 200,000 heads, investments will amount to $50 million, the press service of the company told Interfax-Ukraine on Thursday.
“Kazakhstan has an advantageous geographical position, a land border with China. There is no African swine fever, which today is the main obstacle for many countries in the world to export pork to the Chinese market. There is a great interest of the government of Kazakhstan in supporting and creating conditions for such a project, but there are no people with experience in creating such enterprises from scratch. KSG Agro has both qualified personnel and experience in raising purebred pigs,” the press service of the company quoted Kasianov as saying.
The press service of the agricultural holding said that the Swiss companies participating in the project will supply technologies and animals of Swiss genetics to Kazakhstan. In particular, one of the investors is KS Genetic (Switzerland), which is chaired by Filippo Lombardi, ex-chairman of the Council of States of Switzerland.
The project of the livestock complex includes two sow farms with 4,000 sows each, which will make it possible to keep 200,000 heads of pigs per year, as well as a feed mill. The annual design production capacity is about 20,000 tonnes of meat.
According to Kasianov, the prospective markets for the products are China, Vietnam and South Korea.
The press service of KSG Agro said that it is not yet planned to attract credit or own funds of the Ukrainian agricultural holding for the implementation of the Kazakh project.
Currently, negotiations are underway with a number of potential investors on financial participation in the Kazakh project. The issue of attracting investors to the charter capital of KSG Agro for the development of the company’s meat processing facilities and its entry into new markets for finished products of the livestock industry is also being discussed.
Ukrainian swimmer Mykhailo Romanchuk has won a bronze medal at the Tokyo Olympics in the 800-m freestyle, by which he set an Olympic record earlier, the Ministry of Youth and Sports said.
“Mykhailo Romanchuk brings Ukraine the fourth bronze at the 2020 Olympic Games! Mykhailo Romanchuk finished third in the final 800-meter freestyle. The Ukrainian showed a time of 7.42.33,” the ministry said on its Facebook page on Thursday morning.
The ministry noted that there was another Ukrainian together with Romanchuk, who qualified in the top eight, Serhiy Frolov, with a time of 7.45,11 came sixth in the final.
“I have been heading for this award for 18 years. From the age of 6, when I started swimming and came to my coach Petro Nahorny, together with whom I managed to achieve all the results. Of course, nothing of this would have happened without him,” the National Olympic Committee of Ukraine quoted Romanchuk as saying.
Romanchuk added that “it was a very difficult and unusual final. I really hoped to improve my Olympic record, which I set in the semifinal. But I am glad that it was never surpassed.”
Karina Avramenko, one of the video authors, a student and deputy president of the Student Parliament of International European University, said that she decided to carry out the experiment after seeing a sticky situation. Coming home after classes, she saw how a foreign student asked pedestrians for money to get to a place of residence because his purse was stolen. It triggered her to initiate the shooting of a social video in order to raise a topic of good deeds, as it is, unfortunately, quite a rare phenomenon nowadays.
“Since childhood, parents have been teaching me to help others and not to leave someone to their fate. I always follow their advice and can’t ignore similar situations. Therefore, I try to help people facing difficulties if I have such a possibility,” Karina Avramenko states.
The video shows Geneva, a student from Nigeria, near the metro station, who addresses pedestrians asking for money for a trip because somebody has stolen his bag with all his stuff, including a purse, and he needs to get to the hotel where he lives. Geneva, without knowing the language, talked to passersby in English and asked them to help.
Thus, students of International European University appeal to other people not to ignore individuals who, in certain circumstances, are in trouble and become more kind. No one knows what you will face tomorrow.
The International European University was founded in Kyiv in 2019. The university has its own educational building at 16a Mahnitohorska Street in Kyiv. Ukraine and Austria are its co-founders.
The university specializes in teaching foreign students and Ukrainians, studying in scientific and educational institutions in seven areas: business schools, architectural and engineering, language, medical, IT, law and art schools.
