Coronavirus lockdowns to be lifted in Russia in phases - sanitary watchdog chief
13:20, 1 May
Photo: pixabay.com
Coronavirus lockdowns will be lifted in Russia is several stages, depending on the situation in each particular region, Anna Popova, chief of Russia’s sanitary watchdog, said on Friday.
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"It should be understood that nothing will happen overnight and one fine morning we wake up to see things as they used to be. No way. Not anywhere in the world. We see it," she said in an interview with the Komsomolskaya Pravda radio station.
"It will be a gradual, phased process. It is inevitable. And the pace will be different in different Russian regions. We have a vast country and the epidemic situation is different in different regions, as is people’s discipline. That’s what will matter when lifting the lockdowns in regions," she explained.
She stressed that it is vitally important to avoid any mistakes that may worsen the situation.
The coronavirus situation across the country is monitored online, with each particular case being considered, she noted, adding that it is necessary to understand how each region may react to any scenario, either positive or negative. "Stages are being looked at, all the algorithms wave been elaborates and agreed. But they will be announced when the right day comes and to see it coming we must obey by the rules," she said.
She also noted that Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin’s sickness will not tell of the anti-pandemic efforts. "He is always accessible, always in touch. We always count on his opinion. I would like to wish him soonest recovery because his work is very important for the country," Popova added.
In late December 2019, Chinese officials notified the World Health Organization (WHO) about the outbreak of a previously unknown pneumonia in the city of Wuhan, in central China. Since then, cases of the novel coronavirus - named COVID-19 by the WHO - have been reported in every corner of the globe, including Russia.
On March 11, 2020, the WHO declared the coronavirus outbreak a pandemic. According to the latest statistics, over 3.2 million people have been infected worldwide and more than 230,000 deaths have been reported.
To date, a total of 114,431 coronavirus cases have been confirmed in Russia, with 13,220 patients having recovered from the virus. Russia’s latest data indicates1,169 fatalities nationwide. Earlier, the Russian government set up an Internet hotline to keep the public updated on the coronavirus situation.
