The relevant decision has been approved today at a Government meeting. Earlier the emergency regime has been in force in eight Ukrainian regions.
In accordance with Ukrainian legislation, the emergency situation is a special period of governance which is caused by unexpected and dangerous circumstances like a severe incident, an economic recession, a natural disaster or a pandemic that disrupt normal everyday life and activities of people. There are four levels of the emergency situation: the national, regional, local and objective.
The decision to introduce the emergency situation is aimed at helping the central and local authorities to better coordinate anti-epidemic measures. These measures include, for instance, the reinforced maintenance of public order, the informing of people about the symptoms of the illness and how to protect themselves from being infected, the disinfection of public places, shopping malls, and other facilities and surrounding areas as well as other sanitation and anti-epidemic arrangements.
Throughout the term of the emergency situation, the authorities and public health-protection services will be working according to the intensified schedule. The emergency situation excludes the interference of the State in the management of private companies or restriction of constitutional rights and liberties of Ukrainians.
Unlike the state of national emergency when the Cabinet is authorized to govern both the State-owned and private companies and rights and freedoms of Ukrainians may be restricted, the emergency situation does not involve strict measures. The state of national emergency is usually introduced by Parliament on the submission of the President.
By its decision the Cabinet of Ministers has extended the quarantine for 30 days until April 24 and has approved a package of additional measures. For instance, in the zones of high infection incidence checkpoints are to be set up where people will undergo an obligatory sanitary examination and vehicles will be disinfected. Also, premises, roads and sidewalks will be cleaned with disinfectants. Social workers, voluntary organizations will provide services to low-income families. Those citizens who have lost their jobs because of the quarantine will be given monetary aid.
Besides, medical workers have the right to conduct obligatory checkups of persons with symptoms of the COVID-19 infection as well as people who have had contacts with those who have already been diagnosed the illness if these persons refuse from medical examination voluntarily. Such persons will be hospitalized. The infected persons who have refused from treatment will be subjected to compulsory quarantine.
As of March 25, Ukraine has 113 registered cases of the coronavirus infection. Four persons have died. According to a report of the Ministry for Public Health Protection, 29 new cases of CORVID-19 have been identified the day before.
In the photo: Kyiv downtown today.
The newspaper Holos Ukrainy
