Public and private sector employees refusing vaccination have been required to take coronavirus tests twice a month at their own expense since October 1. They will now have to pay for such tests every week in accordance a directive issued by Health Minister Anahit Avanesian.
Hundreds of thousands of Armenians have gotten inoculated in the last two months. The government hopes that the new testing requirement will encourage many others to do the same.
Less than 20 percent of the country’s population has been vaccinated so far, a figure reflecting widespread vaccine hesitancy.
Davit Melik-Nubarian, a public health expert, welcomed Avanesian’s directive. But he said the authorities should find ways of motivating not only registered workers but also many other citizens such as pensioners and self-employed farmers.
“If we look at official statistics, [we will see that] employees, who can be influenced by us, make up a disproportionate percentage of vaccinated people,” Melik-Nubarian told RFE/RL’s Armenian Service.
Armenia - A man is vaccinated against coronavirus at a mobile vaccination center in Yerevan, October 24, 2021.
The Armenian Ministry of Health is also looking forward to the introduction on January 1 of a mandatory coronavirus health pass for entry to cultural and leisure sites. Only those people who have been vaccinated against COVID-19 or have had a recent negative test will be allowed to visit bars, restaurants, theaters and other public venues.
The measure championed by Avanesian has been criticized by some restaurant owners concerned about a loss of their revenue. They have also complained that it is still not clear how the authorities plan to ensure compliance with the health pass.
Melik-Nubarian questioned the authorities’ ability to enforce it. “There is concern that it will prove impossible to verify compliance,” he said. “That would mean that the decision remains on paper and people will hear one thing but see another in real life.”
The daily number of officially confirmed coronavirus cases and deaths in Armenia began falling two weeks ago after several months of steady increase that overwhelmed the national healthcare system. The Ministry of Health recorded 502 new cases and 43 deaths on Wednesday morning.