Volozhin Region
Executive Committee

There are more than 20,000 testing kits for COVID-19 in Belarus, Deputy Director of the National Research Center for Epidemiology and Microbiology Alina Dronina said in an interview with the Belarus 1 TV channel, BelTA has learned.

«The National Research Center for Epidemiology and Microbiology performs some 700 tests a day. There are 13 laboratories working currently in the country,» Alina Dronina said.

According to her, only domestically produced testing kits are used in the laboratory of the National Research Center for Epidemiology and Microbiology. The country uses several testing systems, with some of which donated by China, Russia and some of which are of Belarusian manufacture. “All the testing kits that we use to diagnose the coronavirus are built on the same principle: they detect a fragment of RNA, or viral genome in the material,” Alina Dronina said.

It takes about six hours to learn the result. However, if a large number of tests are performed at the same time, the procedure may take up to 24 hours.

To increase the efficiency of testing, a swab of the nose and throat is taken from the patient separately and placed in one test tube. The material is transported to the laboratory in three packs: a test tube on a tripod placed in a bag, which, in turn, placed in a thermo bag with a refrigerant. As soon as the laboratory receives a positive result, a special ambulance team takes the patient to hospital.

A decision has been made to extend school holidays for a week, BelTA learned from the Belarus President Administration.

Education Minister Igor Karpenko informed Belarus President Aleksandr Lukashenko about the current state of affairs, including the opinions and requests of parents. The final decision was made – the holidays will be extended for a week.

The Education Ministry informs that the spring holidays will be extended for six days – from 6 April through 11 April. The schooling will resume on 13 April and will conclude on 30 May 2020.

BelTA reported earlier that a day before Aleksandr Lukashenko told media that school holidays were very likely to be extended. “I am experiencing this situation, too, because I have a kid. I believe that the demands of parents and the healthcare system to extend the holidays are not right. However, I once said that we would not put pressure on parents. These are their children, their life. It is up to them to make decisions about it amidst this coronavirus psychosis. I am absolutely against pulling out children from a kindergarten or a school by extending the holidays. However, if I promised to accommodate parents' requests, let it be,” the head of state said.

“It is highly likely that we will extend the holidays for a week, solely because parents insist on it and because not all of them let their children attend school during this period. I understand what they feel. Even a healthy person without kids can get sick from the things that are going on,” the president said.

Belarus will earmark about Br110 million to boost the domestic economy menaced by the coronavirus, Belarusian Prime Minister Sergei Rumas told reporters, BelTA has learned.

The set of measures to support the economy was submitted for scrutiny to the head of state. “It is hard to name all the measures. I can only say that direct fiscal support amounts to about Br110 million,” the head of government informed.

The premier called the proposed measures extraordinary. “They are aimed at supporting entire economic sectors that employ 550,000 people,” Sergei Rumas noted.

There will be five packages. “They provide for a number of monetary and prudential measures, support for the real economic sector and protection of the consumer market,” Sergei Rumas said. There will be a package of measures that will allow initiating decisions in the Eurasian Economic Union.

The government has already passed a series of related resolutions. “All the other resolutions to be set forth in this package will be passed today. They have already been developed and are being reconciled,” the premier noted.

Sergei Rumas recalled that the president is carefully studying proposals to provide state support. “Therefore, the head of state forwarded these proposals to other government agencies for scrutiny. The government expects that our colleagues from the Belarus President Administration and the State Control Committee share our vision and will submit their findings to the head of state in the nearest future,” the head of government said.

The stimulus package is to be adopted soon.

The global situation requires Belarus to mobilize its efforts and be ready for a prompt response to challenges, Chairwoman of the Council of the Republic of the National Assembly of Belarus Natalya Kochanova said at the opening of the spring session of the upper house of the Belarusian parliament on 2 April, BelTA has learned.

The global situation requires Belarus to mobilize its efforts and be ready for a prompt response to challenges, Chairwoman of the Council of the Republic of the National Assembly of Belarus Natalya Kochanova said at the opening of the spring session of the upper house of the Belarusian parliament on 2 April, BelTA has learned.

The global situation is difficult today, including due to the epidemiological state, Natalya Kochanova said. Production activity is on decline. Commodity and service markets are facing serious problems. Cooperation links between states have been disrupted. “All countries, including Belarus, feel this negative impact. This requires us to mobilize efforts, be ready to respond quickly to emerging challenges,” the chairwoman of the Council of the Republic said.

“We understand perfectly well that the main thing is the economy and, hence, the wellbeing of our citizens. Enterprises should work, people should receive salaries, and the budget - funds to implement social programs and honor obligations,” the speaker said.

The five-year period is ending in 2020. According to Natalya Kochanova, the results of social and economic development in 2019 were reviewed at a meeting with the president on 17 March. The meeting also highlighted the priorities and main directions for the medium term. The target goal is sustainable economic growth at 3-4% per year. “For this purpose it is necessary to ensure that each enterprise operates efficiently, that all the regions demonstrate an even and sustainable development. There is also the need to create conditions for attracting foreign and domestic investments, to increase exports, including to new markets,” said the chairwoman of the Council of the Republic.

Natalya Kochanova said that the improvement of the quality of products and services is an absolute priority. “This is the most important factor of competitiveness of our enterprises and the country as a whole. The Council of the Republic made appropriate proposals to the government," Natalya Kochanova said.

Photos by Andrei Pokumeiko

Face masks made in Belarus are meant for the domestic market. The number one task is to meet Belarus' own needs, head of the domestic market and exhibitions departments of the Belarusian state light industry concern Bellegprom Svetlana Kakhro said at a regular meeting of the Expert Community project “Light Industry of Belarus: Challenges and Risks” in BelTA's press center on 1 April.

The situation in Vitebsk Oblast is absolutely manageable, medics understand what needs to be done, BelTA learned from Chairwoman of the Council of the Republic of the National Assembly of Belarus Natalya Kochanova on 31 March.

A dedicated section for Belarusians who need help with returning home has been launched on the website of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, BelTA has learned.

Thirty-two coronavirus patients have recovered in Belarus as of 27 March, BelTA learned from the press service of the Healthcare Ministry.

Bobruisk Biotechnology Plant has almost tripled the output of antiseptics since the beginning of the year, having produced around 53,000 bottles, BelTA learned from Aleksandr Kazusenok, the deputy director for ideology, personnel, and general matters at Bobruisk Biotechnology Plant.

Around 23,000 COVID-19 tests have been carried out in Belarus, BelTA learned from the press service of the Belarusian Healthcare Ministry.