COVID-19 Update (June 15)

Daily Briefing

PM Nikol Pashinyan:

It is time to admit that, up to this moment, we have been unable to convince citizens to follow the most basic and effective safety rule: wearing a mask.

Despite the decisions of the Special Commission, despite administrative measures, despite mass information drives, despite the transparency of the government, a large proportion of the population still do not wear masks.
This is the number one reason for the spread of the virus in the Republic of Armenia.
To back this claim, today, Forbes republished an article taken from the American National Academy of Sciences journal proving the effectiveness of masks in slowing down the spread of the virus. Despite what we said earlier, despite the fact that the WHO also changed its mind about the effectiveness of facemasks, now, we have scientific proof that they work.
The article also confirmed that COVID-19 particles can stay in the air for more than 10 minutes, meaning you can still get infected ten minutes after a virus carrier has been in the same space. This is also where the mask is an effective means of protection.
The article also showed that the lockdown and other restrictive measures in New York were not as effective in flattening the curve as wearing masks. This study confirmed the reasons for our reluctance to resort to yet another lockdown.
The prestigious medical journal Lancet has come to the same conclusion after comparing 172 different studies from around 20 countries, yet again proving that the chances of infection are significantly reduced when wearing a mask. In effectiveness, social distancing comes right after wearing masks. This again shows that two of the three safety measures the government is suggesting citizens follow – wear masks, disinfect hands as often as possible, and maintaining physical distance – have proven to be the most effective.
Studies by Cambridge and Greenwich universities have shown that a patient, on average, infects 2 or 3 other people, while if they wear a mask, that number can be one or less.
We cannot say that, since May 25 we have been suggesting to use the most effective preventative measures, and our problem is that we have not been able to either persuade or force our citizens to follow these rules.
We will expand the administrative methods used and their scope while still, as a government elected by the people, expecting the people’s collaboration.
When I see images of people ignoring safety rules, I ask where have we gone wrong for people to have such a dismissive attitude towards the danger that faces them.
I ask every citizen who diligently wears masks, please do not be indifferent toward a fellow citizen who is not wearing one, please make sure to approach them and ask them to wear masks, reprimand them if necessary.
This pandemic will not be overcome unless we learn to follow these rules. The only other scenario is – and I apologize for the cruelty of what I’m about to say – all those who are vulnerable will have to die before we can see a decrease in the numbers. And today, with our behavior, we are condemning hundreds if not thousands of our compatriots to death.

Arsen Torosyan, the Minister of Health spoke next:

The analysis by the Health Ministry during the past few days has shown that a lot of the patients who test positive for COVID-19 live in the same neighborhood, the same street or even the same building. This data comes to confirm that people do not wear face masks in their neighborhoods.
Torosyan noted that he started posting addresses on his Facebook page to show people that there were cases of infection in their neighborhoods, which they can prevent by wearing a face mask and maintaining physical distancing.
In its latest recommendations, the World Health Organization (WHO) says that people who are in the vulnerable group (those with pre-existing health conditions and those who are over 60) should try to use face masks produced in factories, which are more effective than the ones produced at home. The good news is that the price of face masks has started decreasing.
The Minister noted that no administrative fine can require 3 million people wear a face mask when leaving the house; rather they should try to understand that wearing a face mask is for their own benefit because it protects them.
The average age of infected patients who eventually die of COVID-19 has started to trend younger, which means that young people should also be concerned about their health and follow the rules, not just because it is necessary to not infect others but also it can affect them as well.
Many citizens are not even aware that they have a pre-existing health condition, which is another reason for wearing a face mask when outside and removing it only when eating.
If we want to overcome the pandemic, we need to take the situation seriously and follow the rules.

Artavazd Vanyan, the Director of the National Center for Disease Control and Prevention, spoke after Torosyan:

The COVID-19 situation in the country remains critical and we have not changed our strategy, because the recent scientific articles came to prove that Armenia is on the right path and that wearing a face mask is critical for halting the spread of the virus.
To improve its preventive measures, the Government has increased its testing capacity, which allows early detection of the virus and contact tracing.
Speaking about the importance of wearing masks correctly, Vanyan urged citizens to avoid being in contact with their neighbors without wearing a face mask, maintain physical distance and wear a face mask when organizing small gatherings in the house.
Remember that wearing a face mask incorrectly is equal to not wearing it at all. Remember that wearing a face mask protects you and people around you.
Vanyan stressed the importance of maintaining physical distancing and disinfecting/washing hands regularly, especially in places where we do not wear a face mask (in cafes or restaurants).
Following the three simple rules will inevitably help to stabilize the situation in the country.

Questions:

Mediamax, Ara Tadevosyan: What has been the government’s biggest omission in regards to dealing with the pandemic and what conclusions have been made?

Nikol Pashinyan: As I have already said, we failed to either convince or force our citizens to follow safety rules and, obviously, it is now clear that it all boils down to two factors: masks and physical distancing. I do not understand what makes 15 people above the age of 60-65 gather around a game of backgammon and condemn themselves to death. I keep asking myself, what have I done wrong for people to continue acting like this? Armenia made seemingly impossible political changes and the tool was communication but now we are unearthing social and psychological levels. We still need to find the answer to these issues, I have more questions than answers regarding this issue.

Pan Armenian.net, Mane Yepremyan: You consider a total lockdown to be ineffective but at the same time say that the methods in place today are not yielding results. Is the government looking for a halfway measure, which would be less than a total lockdown but more than what is in place now?

Nikol Pashinyan: The images of people in Geghard and Haghartsin, of people without masks that I published earlier, let us say they are not allowed to go anywhere but gather with neighbors in someone’s home. What is the difference? Maybe there will be a difference in the scope of infections, but then that same person goes to the shop still without a mask, everyone who comes in afterwards, for ten minutes, is still infected. This is what causes the most distress. We have suggested two of the most effective measures to combat the pandemic, but they have yielded no results for the simple reason that they are massively ignored. Starting today, we have volunteers who are going around offering people masks. Police have been instructed to also give masks to those people who have been fined for not wearing one.

Health Minister Publishes Names of Neighborhoods With Most Infections

During his June 13th live briefing, Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan had announced that analysis of the data has shown that the virus is spreading primarily in clusters of the same or neighboring addresses, meaning communal courtyards and that accordingly, police have also been surveilling courtyards over the last several days and will continue to do so.

Starting June 14, Health Minister Arsen Torosyan wrote that he will occasionally be publishing the names of the neighborhoods where the virus is spread in clusters for citizens to reconsider the habit of hanging out with neighbors, or dropping by the neighborhood shop without a mask.

Since then, Torosyan has published the following addresses:

Yerevan, Avan district, Isahakyan St.

Aragatsotn, city of Ashtarak, Beknazaryan St.

Kotayk, Jrvezh village, St. N 12

Gegharkunik, Sevan City, Nairyan St.

Lori, Stepanavan City, Yeritasardakan St.

Syunik, Goris City, Vank St.

Ararat, Aygavan village, St. Hovhaness St.

Yerevan, Nork Marash, Nork St. N 7

Armavir, Vagharshapat City (Etchmiadzin), St. Movses Khorenatsi St.

Number of Violations Since the State of Emergency

Armenia’s Police has reported that 33,996 violations of safety protocols have been registered in the country since the establishment of the State of Emergency, 774 of which were registered on June 14.

Yerevan, Nork Marash, Nork St. N 7

Armavir, Vagharshapat City (Etchmiadzin), St. Movses Khorenatsi St.

Update on Number of Cases

The Ministry of Health reported 397 new cases of COVID-19 and 62 recoveries, bringing the total number of confirmed cases to 17,064, of which 10,409 are active cases and 6,276 have already recovered. Sixteen COVID-19 patients (the youngest aged 41 and the oldest 88), who all had pre-existing health conditions, died bringing the total number of deaths to 285. Three other patients with COVID-19 also died, but the virus was not the cause of death; 94 such cases have been reported. To date, 83,600 tests have been conducted, of which 1,276 were in the last 24 hours.

COVID-19 Update (June 15)

Daily Briefing

Health Minister Publishes Names of Neighborhoods With Most Infections

Number of Violations Since the State of Emergency

Update on Number of Cases

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