The toughening of quarantine rules will affect primarily unvaccinated citizens, Minister of Health of Ukraine Viktor Liashko has said.“The government is forced to place the unvaccinated people under quarantine as the coronavirus is not retreating. Europe is setting a new continental record for the incidence of COVID-19, and we must take action to save the lives of citizens who have not yet been vaccinated,” he said at a briefing on Tuesday.“The largest number of changes in the quarantine rules concerns the regime in the zones of the yellow level of epidemic danger, in particular, the work of the business. If earlier it could choose the models of activity in the ‘yellow’ zone – not to check documents on vaccination or negative test, but to work in accordance with certain restrictions in the region or to check documents and work without restrictions of this level – now the business is losing such an option,” the minister said.Liashko clarified that people who have not received at least one vaccine against COVID-19 or who do not have a negative test or a certificate of recovery will not be able to take part in all public events, including cultural ones, sports, entertainment, social, religious, etc. at the “yellow” level of epidemic danger. These people will also not be able to visit cinemas and other cultural institutions, gyms, fitness centers, swimming pools, will not be able to use the services of catering establishments, “bars, restaurants, cafes and other establishments will be closed for them.”At the same time, Liashko noted that the work of banks, gas stations, veterinary stores, pharmacies and all food stores in the “yellow” and “red” zones is not limited for the unvaccinated, “however, it is mandatory to comply with anti-epidemic rules – wearing a mask and maintaining physical distance of 1.5 meters.”
The new Omicron coronavirus disease strain has not yet been detected in Ukraine, but all non-Delta samples will be subject to mandatory genome-wide sequencing, Health Minister Viktor Liashko has said.“Now in Ukraine there is a system for monitoring the spread of COVID-19 strains. At the regional level, there is a certain reserve of PCR test systems for determining the Delta strain. All non-Delta samples will be subject to mandatory genome-wide sequencing. To date, the Omicron strain has not been found on the territory of Ukraine,” he said at a briefing on Monday.The minister said that the government had already decided to allocate an additional UAH 67.5 million for the purchase of additional test systems for the determination of the Delta strain.
Ukraine has registered 5,804 new cases of COVID-19, 10,477 recoveries, and 297 deaths in the past 24 hours, the Ukrainian Health Ministry said on Monday.“Over the past day, November 28, Ukraine has recorded 5,804 new cases of COVID-19, including 530 children and 72 medical workers, while 93,970 people have been vaccinated for COVID-19, among them 31,069 persons who received their first shot and 62,901 who have completed vaccination. In the past 24 hours, 2,082 people have been hospitalized, 297 have died, and 10,477 have recovered,” the Health Ministry said on Telegram.Since the beginning of the pandemic, Ukraine has seen a total of 3,427,827 coronavirus infections, including 2,920,714 recoveries and 85,414 deaths.As of this date, 13,320,532 people have been vaccinated for COVID-19, including 13,320,530 who have received their first shot and 10,967,700 who have completed vaccination.
By the beginning of the winter holidays season, the wave of COVID-19 may leave Ukraine, chief sanitary doctor of Ukraine Ihor Kuzin predicts.“By the New Year, the wave should already leave the territory of Ukraine. According to the forecasts that we use, the peak rates of morbidity and hospitalization are in mid-November. We have now almost crossed the peak of rates,” he said in an exclusive interview with Interfax-Ukraine.He said that the Ministry of Health, together with winter resorts, is developing a strategy for working during the winter holidays.“We have already started talking with winter resorts about the regime – how to ensure compliance with the requirements of anti-epidemic legislation. The joint position is that it is difficult to ensure control over vaccination certificates or PCR tests on chairlifts, so resorts offer some verification at the point of entry, for example, at the entrance to a hotel or at a sports equipment rental shop,” he said.Kuzin emphasized that the point is to ensure that winter resorts are safe, and there are no organizational or logistical obstacles for vaccinated people.
Ukraine has registered 15,936 new cases of COVID-19 and 608 related deaths in the past 24 hours, the Ukrainian Health Ministry said on Friday.”Over the past day, November 25, Ukraine has recorded 15,936 new cases of COVID-19, including 1,394 children and 303 medical workers, while 273,875 people have been vaccinated for COVID-19, among them 81,516 who received their first shot and 192,359 who have completed vaccination. In the past 24 hours, 3,208 persons have been hospitalized, 608 have died, and 24,569 have recovered,” the Health Ministry said on Telegram.Since the beginning of the pandemic, Ukraine has seen a total of 3,400,340 coronavirus infections, including 84,149 deaths.
Prime Minister of Ukraine Denys Shmyhal has said that next year, 2022, the budget for medicine will exceed the budget of 2019 by two times during the discussion panel of the forum “Recovery plan for Europe” in Karpacz (Republic of Poland).
“In parallel with the reform of medicine, we are changing our approaches. We are paying more attention to the scientific basis, development and production of our own drugs and vaccines,” the press service of the government quoted the prime minister as saying.
Shmyhal also noted that the crisis caused by the COVID-19 pandemic had affected the whole world, therefore, the countries should look for ways to overcome the challenges together.
He stressed that there are several scenarios for overcoming the crisis, and the common challenge of the countries today is to ensure an equitable and fair recovery for the entire society. He voiced a number of priorities, without which it is impossible to get out of the crisis today.
“First, one needs to have an understanding and vision of the strategy. For the first time since Ukraine’s independence, we have developed an economic development strategy until 2030, which contains more than 30 vectors and 12 programs,” Shmyhal said.
In addition, economic recovery, according to the Prime Minister, is impossible without government and business support for infrastructure projects.
“President Volodymyr Zelensky initiated the Big Construction program. Ukraine has the opportunity to build roads, restore infrastructure, bridges, airports, train stations. We pay a lot of attention to public-private partnership, which is also an important area of overcoming the crisis. Governments must take leadership to bring countries out of the crisis, but without the support of society and business, it is impossible to overcome the challenges we face,” Shmyhal said.
Among other things, the head of government noted the importance of the green transition, since it is “not only about climate change, but also about the well-being of people, significant investments, the development of hydrogen technologies and other innovative areas.”
In conclusion, Shmyhal stressed that the countries should pay attention to the development of trade and investment space and take joint steps to enhance security in the region.
As reported, Shmyhal paid a working visit to the Republic of Poland on September 9. During the visit, he met with Chairman of the Council of Ministers of the Republic of Poland Mateusz Morawiecki, Prime Minister of the Republic of Slovenia Janez Janša and took part in the discussion panel of the XXX Economic Forum in Karpacz.
