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Ukraine to resume the ban on Sept. 28 - analyzing the facts and possibilities

Updated: Jan 22, 2021

To prevent the spread of the coronavirus COVID-19, the Government introduced quarantine from March 12 to Oct. 31, 2020, throughout Ukraine. In this regard, the Government keeps establishing several restrictions for citizens, businesses, and foreign travelers.


Aug. 25, on the President's website, we could read: "Given the deterioration of the epidemic situation, the quarantine is proposed to be extended until November - a conference call chaired by the President of Ukraine."


"In Ukraine, more than 1,600 new patients with COVID-19 have been registered over the past 24 hours, so the Cabinet of Ministers proposes to extend the quarantine until Nov. 1. Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal announced this at a traditional conference call chaired by the Ukraine president, Volodymyr Zelenskyy.

The total number of people infected with coronavirus infection in Ukraine since the beginning of the pandemic has exceeded 108 thousand."



"Given the negative dynamics of the incidence, Volodymyr Zelenskyy supported the need to take preventive measures. In particular, the introduction of a ban on nightclubs, concerts.

"But quarantine must remain adaptive and unburdensome for entrepreneurs. Small and medium-sized businesses should be able to organize their work in the new conditions properly," the President stressed.


The parties noted that the world is also experiencing an increase in the incidence of COVID-19, so the Ukrainian government is developing regulations banning the entry of foreign nationals from countries in the "red zone" of the epidemic for 30 days." (the ongoing ban)


At the request of the Prime Minister of Israel, a decision was made to significantly restrict the Hasidic pilgrimage to Uman to celebrate Rosh Hashanah."

We all followed the news on this particular date and know that tens of thousands of Hasidic pilgrimages visit Ukraine in September, and they disregard entirely any rules regarding quarantine.


Additionally, Ukraine does not meet the EU's criteria for the state to be included in the list of epidemiologically safe countries (green list). The citizens of which can cross the border through Ukraine welcomes the majority of the EU countries.


There are 50 countries in the “red” zone as per the List of Countries for Entering Ukraine (Updated on Sep. 25). During the upcoming 7 days, citizens from some countries such as Israel, Spain, France, the United States of America, the Netherlands, Costa Rica, and the Republic of Moldova will be banned from entering Ukraine.





The regions will indicate the green, yellow, orange, or red level of danger of the spread of Covid-19, depending on the epidemic situation. Automated software based on algorithms and data will mark regions. The National Commission for Energy and Emergency Situations will approve the data.

What then changed as adaptive quarantine after 26.08?

Restrictive measures are additionally intensified in regions with a "green" level of epidemiological danger. 

Forbidden:

  • work of discos, entertainment establishments, night clubs, public catering establishments with the organization of leisure; 

  • to hold concerts, except those organized by cultural institutions and for which concert activity during the last year is the main activity.

Local governments - gained access to the data of the electronic service "Action. Home". This is necessary to monitor persons subject to self-isolation or observation or violate quarantine rules.




Curiously, two weeks later (Sep. 25), regardless of Ukraine, epidemic levels have skyrocketed, in less than 2 months, and against the trend, most of the red quarantined zones have disappeared.

Observe the evolution from Sep. 10 to Sep. 28 (bellow).




At a meeting of the State Commission on Technogenic and Environmental Safety and Emergencies, held on September 25, a decision was approved reviewing the epidemic danger levels due to the permanent worsening of the spread of COVID-19.

The new distribution will take effect from 00:00 on September 28, 2020.



Green and Red Zones, what changed to establish each one?


For the re-reopening on September 28th, The Ministry of Health (supposedly) keeps their Red and ‘Green’ zoning for countries but is not keeping the same criteria it once used for creating these lists.

Throughout the summer, Ukraine was using the number of new cases compared to each nation's 100,000 population to determine what ‘color’ list they would be on. For example, countries with more than 55 new cases per 100,000 people in the past 14 days would be on the ‘Red’ list.


The ‘Red’ zone is now defined by countries where COVID-19 case numbers in the last 14 days are higher than cases numbers in Ukraine – or -countries where new case numbers have increased more than 30% in the last 14 days the prior 2-week period.

Green is simpler. Countries with lower rates than Ukraine now define the ‘Green’ zone. ;-)



Passengers coming from ‘Green’ zone countries can enter the Ukraine restriction-free (with exception to the obligatory COVID-19 insurance policy), while ‘Red’ zone passengers will have to quarantine for 14-days, with the option of PCR testing to end isolation early or submit to self-isolation and the use of "Dii Vdoma,"




Analyzing the numbers (as per Sep. 27, 2020)

The following data is the result of KyivPost daily collection of information within official sources.

The first case of COVID-19 was confirmed in Ukraine on March 3. On March 12, the government introduced a nationwide quarantine, initially for three weeks, that was prolonged several times until today.


Ukraine can expect its domestic COVID-19 epidemic to peak in winter, with up to 5,000 new COVID-19 cases registered daily. Oleh Ruban, the head of State Consumer Protection Service, said in an interview with the RBK-Ukraine news site.




COVID-19 in Ukraine in the past 24 hours. (data as of September 25)



POSSIBILITIES:

- In favor

Travelbans/europe/ukraine/ published on 25.09.2020


From 00:00 on September 28, 2020, the ban on foreigners' entry will be canceled in Ukraine. They will enter the country if they have health insurance covering coronavirus treatment and comply with quarantine rules. Everyone arriving in Ukraine from countries of the green zone should not undergo quarantine. If a person arrives from a country in the red zone, even if he was in transit through a country in the green zone, he must go through 14 days of self-isolation.

/... read more Also read:


Surprisingly, the Committee of the Parlement of Ukraine on Nation Health, Medical Care, and Medical Insurance scheduled for September 28 at 3 PM does not mention evaluate or decide on termination or prolong the ban on foreign nationals' entry.


Today, Sep. 27, no mass media mentioned the ban whatsoever.


- "Against."

President Volodymyr Zelenskyi believes that the current statistics of 3,000 sick Ukrainians a day means a second wave of COVID-19 in Ukraine. As stated during a joint press conference with the President of Slovakia Zuzana Čaputová in Bratislava last Sep. 24.

"We cannot risk both Ukrainians and citizens from other countries coming to Ukraine. So, when this situation stabilizes, Ukrainian borders will be open," Zelenskyi assured, which is not very promising.


Observing the growing number of confirmed cases vs. deaths, it is explicitly clear one does not reflect the other. A total of 2,156,653 samples were tested using the PCR method, but Ukraine has 37 million.

Legit to say, more tests conducted, more confirmed cases, and 5,000 in the peak of the winter won't be so unexpected if the testing will keep evolving as it is supposed to. Matters the number of deaths, and above all its causes. The 4 epidemic levels were rapidly growing and imposing new rules into force with financial detriment for the population and businesses. As we could verify, new rules were brought to the table, and new realities and hopes emerged.

Let's hope for a better tomorrow. Alex Pinto Sunday, 27 Sep. 2020



 

 

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