The rate of respiratory illness growth has slowed: another meeting of the regional headquarters for combating the spread of coronavirus was held in Vitebsk
Deputy Head of the Main Healthcare Department Nikolai Kaspirovich reported that the growth of respiratory diseases has slowed down, over the past day in the region it amounted to 7.7 percent, in Vitebsk – 15.6 percent (it was 27.7 percent). A decrease was noted in Orsha and Postavsky district. Over the day, 4 new cases of infection were detected in patients already undergoing treatment. Unfortunately, two people died. This is a woman over 70 years old with multiple chronic pathologies complicated by bilateral pneumonia (the result of the presence of coronavirus RNA is being rechecked). The second sad case is a healthcare worker who was treated for severe bilateral pneumonia of viral-bacterial genesis (there are no confirmed results of coronavirus RNA presence yet).
Regarding students. The previous rule applies to universities and colleges: they must stay at their place of study and continue it. Parents who have taken their children home or want to see them in their families must write an application in the prescribed form, taking responsibility for their safety and guaranteeing the continuation of distance learning independently. No one has canceled credits and exams. But at the same time, one must be aware of the risks that any movement and contact entail, the threat to the families themselves where the student arrives (young people are more likely to have asymptomatic illness).
Regarding schoolchildren. Vacations are ending, the decision on their extension should be made by the republic. The region's opinion on the need to extend them has been communicated to the country's leadership.
At OJSC "Krasny Oktyabr", the entire complex of anti-epidemic measures has been completed, since March 19 there have been no new cases of infection detection there, so the sanitary and epidemiological service is considering the possibility of resuming the enterprise's work.
The planned football match between "Vitebsk" and "Smolevichi" has been moved to the stadium in Borisov.
The desire of businesses and society to assist in providing for medical workers, including organizing their meals, is gaining momentum. This is welcomed, and the regional health department determines the addresses where each type of assistance is most needed. Information has also been received about the delivery of test systems, high-protection respirators, and medical gloves from our partners in China's Shandong province.
News has spread through the media about the development of inexpensive and "fast" COVID-19 test systems in Vitebsk and alleged obstacles to their rapid testing and certification. This is not entirely accurate. Anatoly Shchastny, Rector of VGMU, informed that the samples have been delivered to Minsk, and their testing will be carried out promptly in the laboratory of the capital's city infectious disease hospital. If the effectiveness is confirmed, the production of tests will be launched at full capacity, as the scale of typing is constantly expanding, and the demand for them is high.
The headquarters holds meetings daily. Nikolai Sherstnev, concluding the work, noted that attention should be focused not on the negative. Much is being done in the region to slow down the spread of the disease and ultimately overcome the situation. He expressed immense gratitude to the medical workers who are currently on the front lines of this fight. He urged every resident to strictly follow the prescribed rules, especially advising the elderly to take care of themselves. Today, there is no need to travel to dachas by public transport every day, and if you have already moved to the countryside, you should stay there until the epidemiological situation stabilizes.