Due to the rising incidence of COVID-19 and other respiratory viral infections, the introduction of quarantine in Ukraine in winter is quite possible.
Ihor Kuzin, chief sanitary doctor and deputy head of the Ministry of Health, said this in an interview with RBC-Ukraine.
“If you look at these general rules, quarantine during the winter period is quite possible. And in many regions it was used both in the pre-docking period and is likely to be used even now,” he said.
Kuzin explained that traditionally, the incidence of respiratory infections among both children and adults begins to rise in late September.
“Therefore, if the epidemic threshold is exceeded in such regions, local anti-epidemic measures are applied,” the chief sanitary doctor noted.
He recalled that before Covid, schools were closed in Ukraine during the period of massive respiratory illnesses. Quarantine then usually lasted up to two weeks.
“After the coronavirus infection was removed from the group of especially dangerous infectious diseases, and after the general quarantine in the country was terminated and, in fact, canceled, this is the only norm that remains in force now. That is, if the epidemic threshold is exceeded (and it is calculated as a total of “covid + influenza + other respiratory viral infections”), local anti-epidemic measures may be applied by the decision of local authorities,” Kuzin said.
According to him, local authorities will take measures to curb the spread of viral infections.
“Will it be the closure of schools? Will it be a mask regime, for example, in public transportation? Will it be a restriction on some kind of trade? Will it be stricter regulations? These decisions should be made by local epidemiologists. And in the same way, it is the responsibility of the local commission on technogenic and environmental safety and emergencies, which considers such situations and makes final decisions. Therefore, it is quite possible,” the chief medical officer summarized.
