Meeting to discuss situation with COVID-19 in Belarus

Belarusian President Aleksandr Lukashenko hosted a meeting to discuss the situation with COVID-19 in Belarus on 19 October.

The meeting at the Palace of Independence gathered top officials of the country, as well as representatives of the healthcare sector and experts. Governors are expected to report to the head of state about the situation in the regions via video link. All those in charge have also been invited to the regional studios.

“As we agreed, this week we will focus on the discussion of the treatment of people. We have repeatedly held meetings to consider the ways to combat today's diseases. Objectively speaking, contrary to the hopes of many billions of people on Earth and the forecasts of so-called world science, the coronavirus with its mutations and new strains remains a real threat to all countries,” said Aleksandr Lukashenko.

The head of state stressed that COVID-19 is still one step ahead of medical science. As practice shows, the virus has become more aggressive, there are more severe patients, including young people. This is a tendency, Aleksandr Lukashenko said.

Belarus has been prepared for the next rise in the incidence rate. This issue has always been under special control of the President. “Let us compare notes and see what we have done, what we are doing today, and what we still lack,” said the head of state.

Aleksandr Lukashenko asked if there were any problems with the resource potential of the healthcare system, what has already been done and what assistance is still needed. “If the healthcare system works well and doctors are trained to treat people, we will deal with this problem. If we engage in idle talk, we will do nothing,” the President stressed.

The head of state asked about the expected level of COVID-19 incidence by winter, top-priority measures to combat the spread of the coronavirus and progress in the vaccination program. Aleksandr Lukashenko also asked about the moral and psychological climate in healthcare institutions.

“I would like to reiterate: despite my negative attitude towards restricting people (masks and so on), vaccines are important. I have never been against vaccination. Otherwise, I would not have negotiated the Sputnik vaccine with Putin,” said Aleksandr Lukashenko.