Opinions & Interviews
Lukashenko: COVID-19 under control in Belarus
An archive photo
SLUTSK DISTRICT, 23 October (BelTA) – The situation with the COVID-19 infection is under control in Belarus, Belarus President Aleksandr Lukashenko told reporters in Slutsk District on 23 October, BelTA has learned.
The head of state emphasized that the country has the necessary experience and medicines and has built a multilevel treatment system. Aleksandr Lukashenko underlined the importance of a healthy lifestyle, which can reduce the risk of becoming severely ill with the virus. At the same time, he urged people to be careful, especially those at risk, and to take the necessary precautions in public places.
“So far, the situation is absolutely under control. There are plenty of medicines, a COVID-19 management system. We do not drag everyone to hospitals. If a person is seriously sick, if we see that his/her condition is deteriorating, of course, we will take this person to hospital, because he/she might need oxygen or a ventilator any moment,” the Belarusian leader said.
“You need to live a normal life [do sports, eat healthy], and constantly get ready for any disease. And if God sees that you are trying to protect yourself, maybe he will help you,” the head of state said.
He stressed that this is relevant for any disease, and even more so for the virus.
“However, you should no way go into hiding. Indeed, you need to use a mask in crowded places like shops, metro, and elsewhere,” Aleksandr Lukashenko advised. “You should wear a mask wherever you should be wearing a mask. You should also spend more time outside, better in the forest,” he added.
Aleksandr Lukashenko noted that the elderly should be taken especially good care of. If they have had a disease they should be sent for rehabilitation.
At the same time, the head of state warned against a simplistic way of looking at this situation. He said that he is alarmed by the rapid increase in cases, although there are fewer severe cases so far. It should be kept in mind that now many more people are being tested than in the spring and the early summer, therefore more cases are found.
“This situation is still under control in Belarus. However, we should not slack off. I think that the situation would be completely different if we didn't have to deal with these protesters on the streets of Minsk. Minsk accounts for half of all confirmed cases in our country, though it had only 25-30% of all cases during the first wave. This is because it is Minsk where most of the street action takes place. But we will get through it,” the Belarusian leader noted.
Aleksandr Lukashenko also mentioned his own coronavirus experience, when he actually survived this disease on his feet during the election campaign: “What is valuable to me is that I understood what kind of disease it was. The most important thing is not to succumb to panic if you get sick. I realized it instinctively when I was sick.”
The head of state noted that at first the majority of people did not believe in his coronavirus containment strategy. “I honestly admit that. It was scary, but I realized that the disease is just in your head. Physically, we can recover from wounds, traumas and so on. But when you start succumbing to psychosis – that is the end. COVID became the most terrifying disease. People forgot about cancer and got overwhelmed by this virus. That was wrong, I felt it. This is my intuition, experience. I tried to reach out and get through to you. You did not believe me. But now you see that I was right,” the president said.
Aleksandr Lukashenko recalled that it was for a reason that he once said that the coronavirus would go, but “what are we going to eat?” “I just wanted you to remember it. It turned out to be right. My biggest advice to you is the same: no psychosis!” the head of state said.
He noted that, most likely people will have to live with this disease, like they live with the flu. “If there is a vaccine, we will vaccinate people,” the president added.
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