The number of confirmed Covid-19 cases in Armenia show no upward trend, health minister says
YEREVAN, February 18. /ARKA/. The number of new confirmed cases of Covid-19 recorded by Armenian health officials on a daily basis show no upward trend, Health Minister Anahit Avanesyan told reporters at a press briefing today.
She added that the vaccination against the infection will start in March. According to her, statistics show that the proportion of the citizens who test positive for the disease is relatively low.
She noted also that all protective measures, including the wearing of masks, must be observed, and control must be strict, and persons who do not wear masks must bear the responsibility provided for by law.
Avanesyan said that those vaccines will be imported which will pass the third stage of clinical trials. In her words, the results are being evaluated now and prices and all side effects are being looked through and only then a professional commission will make a purchase decision.
"There are already several vaccines that have passed the WHO certification. The Armenian professional commission has approved AstraZeneca, Pfizer and Sputnik V," Avanesyan said.
According to her, vaccination has already begun with a certain amount of vaccines donated by Russia; in the near future a new batch will arrive and the vaccination will begin in March.
“Vaccination will be free for citizens who are at risk - people over 65, health workers, chronic patients, beneficiaries and employees of closed institutions and others. At the moment, children are not included in the vaccination program,” Avanesyan said.
She specified that vaccination for the above-mentioned categories will be voluntary, and for other groups, vaccination will be paid, but the price is still unknown. -
Armenian health officials have confirmed so far 169,820 cases of Covid-19. The death toll from the infection stands now at 3,156.
In total, 694,357 coronavirus tests have been performed in the country of 3 million since March 1, 2020, when the first case was detected. Since then 161,577 patients have recovered.
On January 11, the government of Armenia extended the coronavirus quarantine for another six months until July 11, 2021.
The nationwide quarantine was first imposed on September 11, 2020 replacing the state of emergency that was declared on March 16 to stop the spread of coronavirus. 0-
