Opinions & Interviews

Minister reveals latest COVID-19 statistics in Belarus

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MINSK, 8 June (BelTA) – The incidence rate of COVID-19 now stands at about 3% of its peak value, Healthcare Minister Dmitry Pinevich said in an interview with the SB. Belarus Segodnya daily.

“Hospitalization numbers are small, the patients are mostly the elderly and unvaccinated people. There is no need to wear masks in the summer: restrictions should be reasonable, like those that we implemented throughout the entire pandemic. Now a couple of words about the situation in general. We used to have daily online meetings with hospital chiefs from all over the country, but now we meet twice a week. At the recent meeting we decided that the next reports would not be related to the coronavirus at all - this topic no longer dominates our agenda,” Dmitry Pinevich said.

However, he noted that the infection is not going anywhere. According to the minister, COVID-19 will become one of seasonal diseases. In other words, it will surge in autumn and spring.

“Yet, we should not lower our guard. Indeed, on the one hand, the COVID-19 variants are getting less severe, but on the other hand, the infection can be aggravated by the flu. Therefore, vaccination is still on the agenda,” Dmitry Pinevich continued.

By now, about 70% of Belarusians have received at least one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine.

The Belmedpreparaty pharmaceutical company produces the entire range of Sputnik vaccines. The vaccines can be upgraded to target new variants. The same scheme is used to manufacture vaccines against influenza, because variants of the virus change every year. “It is good that we have a full-cycle production on our own and do not depend on imports. We will simply continue upgrading,” the minister said.

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