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On September 23, the Chair of the NA Standing Committee on Protection of Human Rights and Public Affairs Taguhi Tovmasyan initiated a debate on the strictness because of the coronavirus pandemic.

The deputies, the representatives of the Health and Justice Ministries and the NGOs, lawyers and doctors participated in the debate.

Let us note that from October 1, the employers will require from their employees either a certificate confirming the negative COVID PCR test result or a vaccination certificate every two weeks.

The RA Minister of Health Anahit Avanesyan affirmed the growing index of daily vaccinations. She noted that in general, 377.405 vaccinations were carried out, 9924 of which – the previous day. 244.374 citizens received the first dose, the 133.031 citizens - the second one. As the Minister has said, the law on Sanitary-Epidemiological Safety of the Population allows to carry out mandatory vaccinations. At this moment, the Ministry implement complex anti-epidemic measures, according to which, a number of restrictions are envisaged. Anahtit Avanesyan has underlined that the steps taken in our country are in consonance with the current policy being applied in the world. As the Minister informed, at the meeting with the representatives of the Council of Europe (CoE), it was recorded that during the fight against the pandemic, Armenia strictly maintained the principle of legality, all restrictions were stemmed from the law, they were lawful. The aim of the measures carried out by the department is to prevent the disease, its hard process and the most important – to avoid from death cases.

The participants of the debate presented their observations and concerns related to the tightening planned from October 1.

It has been stated that the community should be informed about the risks of getting vaccinated or not getting vaccinated. An opinion has been expressed that the state should bear the employee’s financial burden in order to take the test twice.

The Chairman of the RA Chamber of Advocates Ara Zohrabyan raised the fact that the vaccines did not pass the proper clinical examination. He quoted Article 25 of the Constitution, which forbids to undergo a medical examination without a person’s permission. The advocate has emphasized that getting vaccinated does not solve the issue of public health, as a vaccinated person can both infect and be infected. In Ara Zohrabyan’s opinion, today, in case of not presenting a PCR test certificate in the state bodies, the employee cannot be forbidden to enter a workplace.

The doctor Samvel Grigoryan has stated that the vaccinations are an effective tool if their effectiveness and safety are proven. Presenting the quotes from local and global researches, the rapporteur has mentioned that after being infected, the natural resistance is stable.

Concluding the debate, the Committee Chair Taguhi Tovmasyan has noted that taking into account the urgency of the problem, she will also try to organize parliamentary hearings to discuss the issue in a more comprehensive way.

The deputies, the representatives of the Health and Justice Ministries and the NGOs, lawyers and doctors participated in the debate.

Let us note that from October 1, the employers will require from their employees either a certificate confirming the negative COVID PCR test result or a vaccination certificate every two weeks.

The RA Minister of Health Anahit Avanesyan affirmed the growing index of daily vaccinations. She noted that in general, 377.405 vaccinations were carried out, 9924 of which – the previous day. 244.374 citizens received the first dose, the 133.031 citizens - the second one. As the Minister has said, the law on Sanitary-Epidemiological Safety of the Population allows to carry out mandatory vaccinations. At this moment, the Ministry implement complex anti-epidemic measures, according to which, a number of restrictions are envisaged. Anahtit Avanesyan has underlined that the steps taken in our country are in consonance with the current policy being applied in the world. As the Minister informed, at the meeting with the representatives of the Council of Europe (CoE), it was recorded that during the fight against the pandemic, Armenia strictly maintained the principle of legality, all restrictions were stemmed from the law, they were lawful. The aim of the measures carried out by the department is to prevent the disease, its hard process and the most important – to avoid from death cases.

The participants of the debate presented their observations and concerns related to the tightening planned from October 1.

It has been stated that the community should be informed about the risks of getting vaccinated or not getting vaccinated. An opinion has been expressed that the state should bear the employee’s financial burden in order to take the test twice.

The Chairman of the RA Chamber of Advocates Ara Zohrabyan raised the fact that the vaccines did not pass the proper clinical examination. He quoted Article 25 of the Constitution, which forbids to undergo a medical examination without a person’s permission. The advocate has emphasized that getting vaccinated does not solve the issue of public health, as a vaccinated person can both infect and be infected. In Ara Zohrabyan’s opinion, today, in case of not presenting a PCR test certificate in the state bodies, the employee cannot be forbidden to enter a workplace.

The doctor Samvel Grigoryan has stated that the vaccinations are an effective tool if their effectiveness and safety are proven. Presenting the quotes from local and global researches, the rapporteur has mentioned that after being infected, the natural resistance is stable.

Concluding the debate, the Committee Chair Taguhi Tovmasyan has noted that taking into account the urgency of the problem, she will also try to organize parliamentary hearings to discuss the issue in a more comprehensive way.