Belarus will not close borders against the backdrop of the pandemic of the coronavirus COVID-19. This was stated by President of the Republic Alexander Lukashenko, speaking at a meeting on the preservation of the country's economic stability. The Belarusian leader recalled that the pandemic led to the rupture of established economic ties with other countries that closed their borders. 

“We have not done this. Yes, it was not easy for us. But we have identified three corridors along which people and goods are still moving. And we are not going to close. There is no such need so far. We control people, cargo, ”Lukashenko said.

Commenting on this statement of the Belarusian leader, experts recall the high dependence of the economy of the republic on transit trade flows that previously passed through the Belarusian borders. 

“A significant part of the income of Belarus is associated with open markets and borders. Under conditions of border closure, the Belarusian economy could suffer significantly. However, it is clear that in a pandemic, closing borders is a measure to help limit the spread of infection, ”Vladimir Shapovalov, deputy director of the Institute of History and Politics of Moscow State Pedagogical University, explained in an interview with RT. 

The number of confirmed cases of coronavirus infection COVID-19 in Belarus on April 24 reached 8773, the increase over the past day was 751. At the same time, 63 people died from complications associated with coronavirus, three of them in the last day. At the same time, 1,120 patients recovered and were discharged from hospitals. This information was provided by the Ministry of Health of the Republic, the department also specified that over 130 thousand tests for coronavirus infection have been carried out in the country to date.

The growth rate of the incidence rate in the country is increasing. For several days, daily maximums of the disease have been updated.

As previously predicted by the Minister of Health of Belarus Vladimir Karanik, the peak of the spread of coronavirus in the republic may occur in late April and early May. The Minister added then that the key task is to prevent overloading the health care system so that all patients can receive medical care.

On April 19, the chief sanitary doctor of Belarus, Natalia Zhukova, said in an interview with ONT that the situation with coronavirus in the republic was “controlled”. In her opinion, the incidence will decline in three or four weeks. At the same time, a lot of work is being done to localize the foci of the coronavirus.

“Each case of coronavirus infection is considered as a focus and contacts are being sought without fail. Thus, we break the chain of distribution of the virus, ”said Zhukova.

At the same time, the authorities do not provide the media with statistics on morbidity and mortality from coronavirus by city and region. As stated earlier by Vladimir Karanik, such a decision was made after bloggers and journalists began to "intervene in the personal lives of citizens" infected with coronavirus.

Own position

Earlier, a number of measures were taken in the country to limit the spread of coronavirus. So, the republic’s defense department prepared a special tent camp designed to isolate military personnel who had contact with infected COVID-19. As stated in the Ministry of Defense, a few weeks ago, training was held in the Belarusian army in case the epidemiological situation worsened.

In addition, the National Bank of the Republic recommended that banks increase limits on the amounts of cashless payments in trade organizations, which do not need to be confirmed by entering a PIN code. This innovation is designed to minimize contacts between citizens during non-cash payments. In addition, many banks have provided customers with the ability to be serviced remotely, without visits to bank branches.

In addition, since March, the country has been operating the procedure of compulsory self-isolation for citizens arriving from potentially dangerous regions of the world from an epidemiological point of view. 

  • Distance learning in connection with the coronavirus pandemic, Minsk
  • Reuters
  • © Vasily Fedosenko

Also in early April, the country began a three-week school vacation. They ended on April 20, but many parents decided not to return their children to school until the epidemiological situation improves. Only 30-40% of schoolchildren resumed full-time education.

President of the Republic Alexander Lukashenko spoke out against the extension of school holidays.

“I honestly and bluntly said that I am categorically against prolonging the vacation. We have studied opinions and want to extend it for a week. Okay, I extended it, but said it was categorically against it, ”the Belarusian leader said, adding that the authorities would not force students to return to their desks, but this process should begin.

In addition, the head of state opposed the transfer of the republican subbotnik, scheduled for April 25.

The President of Belarus is also opposed to the provision of state financial assistance to business. The politician said earlier that "there will be no discounts for anything" and that restaurants should not expect that the state will support them. 

“It’s necessary to work, maybe at an unloved job, in order to feed a family and get out of this situation when the whole world begins to work,” the Belarusian leader added. 

On the whole, Alexander Lukashenko believes that “the coronavirus has become politics”, and now “everyone is watching, for what would bite Lukashenko, Belarus”, which are “out of order” because the country managed to maintain the system and preparedness for the pandemic. At the same time, the Belarusian president is confident that “everyone dies from chronic diseases, and any virus strikes the weak, who have no immunity.”  

  • Alexander Lukashenko
  • © Alexander Zemlianichenko / Pool via REUTERS

At the same time, the politician referred to the opinion of specialists of the World Health Organization.

“They advised us a lot, up to quarantine, perhaps a curfew,” Lukashenko added.

Indeed, back in early April, WHO recommended that Minsk take additional measures to physically distance citizens by banning public events. Patrick O'Connor, head of the WHO Regional Office for Europe mission, then noted an increase in the incidence in Belarus. 

The call was made a week after Alexander Lukashenko spoke out against the mass transfer of workers to remote work. The politician said this during a trip to one of the dairy farms in the Minsk region.

“Tell me, how is it to milk the cows on a“ remote place ”or announce a day off? This is unrealistic, and someone will sit at home without work, and save their salary. Is that right? ”Lukashenka said.

At the same time, he added that the authorities "do not forbid anyone."

However, WHO continues to insist on strengthening the social distance regime in Belarus. As stated in a statement published on April 21 on the organization’s website, the WHO team of experts “recommends introducing large-scale measures to tighten physical distance”.

At the same time, the organization noted the measures taken by the Belarusian government to combat the pandemic, including the isolation of already sick and building the capacity of the health system.

The co-chairman of the Belarusian Tell the Truth movement, Tatyana Korotkevich, believes that some inconsistency in the statements of the government and the president creates additional risks for Belarus. The expert said this in a comment to RT.

“The situation is controversial. There is no single clear policy, and some people are disoriented. However, the majority of the population soberly assess the level of danger. The fact that the majority leave children at home is a popular assessment of the situation, ”Tatyana Korotkevich is sure.

A similar point of view is shared by Belarusian political analyst Dmitry Balkunets. 

“For example, those work teams that could afford it have long ago switched to the remote mode of work themselves, without an order from the authorities. Moreover, the Ministry of Health and other departments are really making great efforts to combat the spread of coronavirus, ”the expert noted.

Attempts to use the situation

The government of Belarus has no illusions about the seriousness of the COVID-19 threat. So, the Cabinet introduced a temporary ban on the export of equipment for artificial respiration. This became known on April 22. Earlier, the export of disposable coveralls and suits of chemical protection, respirators, goggles, masks, surgical gowns and other similar products was banned from the country.

On April 14, Belarusian doctors in total had 2,200 ventilators and 1,500 anesthesia-respiratory devices. Such information was previously provided by the Deputy Minister of Health of the Republic, Elena Bogdan. 

“To date, there are a total of 57 patients with coronavirus infection who are on mechanical ventilation devices. The supply of these devices is sufficient,” the deputy minister said then.

It should be noted that the approach of the President of Belarus to the question of coronavirus has already become an occasion for attacks on him by the opposition. For example, one of the opposition resources filmed and published a documentary about the situation with the incidence of coronavirus infection in Belarus. The authors of the film claim that the authorities of the republic allegedly hide real statistics on morbidity and mortality from coronavirus.

However, the authors of the film refer mainly not to specialists, but to rumors circulating among ordinary citizens and the opinion of activists.

Attempts by the political opposition to use the situation with the coronavirus against Alexander Lukashenko will not succeed, said Dmitry Bolkunets.

“The opposition does not pose a threat to Lukashenko, it can only“ mirror ”the president, reacting situationally to his words,” the expert noted.

Bottom initiative

Belarusian doctors as a whole do not share the dramatic assessments of the opposition regarding the effectiveness and timeliness of the measures taken by the authorities. So, the column of the doctor Vladimir Martov, the head of intensive care in the emergency hospital in Vitebsk, caused a great resonance.

In this city, according to the authors of the film, the most difficult situation with coronavirus in Belarus has developed. As the doctor wrote, his hospital from the first days had all the necessary protective equipment, and also received all the necessary equipment. However, the situation was different in other hospitals.

“Those who took the first blow suffered a lot: both doctors and other patients fell ill there. The health workers, of course, also fell ill, ”Martov said.

“Now there are more and more protective equipment every day. The state brings the bulk. By the end of the epidemic, we will be fully provided. But I would like it to be in the beginning, ”the doctor emphasized.

As a general practitioner from Belarus noted in an interview with RT, now doctors in general receive everything that is required for work - antiseptics, protective equipment and the like.

“Everyone, and especially doctors, understands that coronavirus is not a joke and is trying very hard. My family has three doctors, and we are all at the forefront, my son and daughter-in-law are working directly with patients in an infectious institution. What the state does not have time for, we receive sponsorship from caring citizens. There is a lot of support from ordinary people, ”he said.

At the same time, the regime of self-isolation is valid in Belarus for those who had contacts with infected people, as well as for those who are treated for coronavirus at home. 

“They are checked daily, for a violation - a fine of € 500,” the doctor added.

As Dmitry Bolkunets explained, now all medical institutions of the republic work in a special mode.

According to Vladimir Shapovalov, deputy director of the Institute of History and Politics of the Moscow State Pedagogical University, the president of Belarus is now most concerned about the preservation of economic stability in the country, it is with these fears that some of his statements regarding the situation with coronavirus are related. 

“The President of Belarus is trying to convince fellow citizens that the threat of coronavirus is not so great that it would be worth stopping economic activity because of it,” the expert said in an interview with RT. 

According to Shapovalov, it is also critically important for Alexander Lukashenko to maintain his political rating at a high level against the backdrop of difficult relations between Belarus and other countries. The Belarusian leader is sure that the number of opponents of quarantine measures in the country is greater than that of supporters of restrictions, and this is the reason for his criticism of such recommendations. 

“Lukashenko is quite actively using this rhetoric. His statements on the situation with the coronavirus are designed to demonstrate to citizens the concern for their standard of living and prosperity. True, in a global market, attempts to stay on the edge of the economic crisis in a global recession, even if COVID-19 is out of the question, are unlikely to have a chance of success, ”the expert summed up.