Address by the President on the measures taken by the state to counteract coronavirus

It is reported by Upmp.news with reference to Official website President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy.

I wish you good health, fellow Ukrainians!

We continue our common counteraction to coronavirus in Ukraine.

At the moment, statistics show that the measures we have taken are correct.

They were not premature or too strict. We analyze the development of the situation and continue to act in accordance with the challenges of the future.

Now a bit of specifics.

At least seven planes from China and South Korea are expected to arrive this week. They will deliver to Ukraine PCR test systems and rapid tests, protective suits and ventilators, masks and respirators.

Our goal is to deliver 50 million masks to Ukraine in the near future.

At the same time, we maximize domestic production.

This week we will start manufacturing our own PCR test systems.

And Ukraine already produces 900,000 masks every day.

We take every effort to fully provide the country with everything necessary.

Also, since April 6, the government has introduced new restrictions to overcome coronavirus. This, in particular, is an obligatory wearing of masks in public spaces. You may not know that you are a carrier of the virus, so a mask on your face is the safety of people around you. You need to leave the house – put on a mask. This is the only way.

In addition, when going outside, you need to have an ID document. This is necessary for the police to be able to verify that you are not required to be on self-isolation or under observation.

No more than two people can walk together on the street, except for families with children. Visiting parks and recreation areas is only possible for walking pets. Administrative and criminal liability is envisaged for violation of quarantine rules.

Dear citizens! Today, our state acts as rigidly as the situation in Ukraine requires. Our actions are completely symmetrical with most countries in Europe and the world. And sanctions for violating quarantine rules, for example, in Italy are up to three thousand euros, in France – almost four, in Singapore – up to ten thousand dollars, and in Spain – up to thirty thousand euros.

We all stand for democratic values and freedoms, but there are times when the health and life of an entire nation becomes a priority.

Today is such a time. Let’s not turn into offended children who were banned from eating ice cream during a cold. All restrictions are only temporary inconveniences, they are important and necessary for your safety.

I would like to draw attention to the situation when the mayor of Zaporizhzhia violates the government decree and launches public transport in the city. These actions have already received the reaction of the Security Service of Ukraine and the Ministry of Internal Affairs.

I would like to emphasize to the heads of all Ukrainian cities and villages that the fulfillment of all restrictions related to coronavirus is mandatory.

I will focus separately on the celebration of Easter this year.

We are in constant dialogue with the heads of all churches.

Easter will be celebrated by Western Christians this Sunday.

We are in a situation where we have to change our traditions for the sake of health and life. For our part, we will do our best to provide worship services on television channels. And I ask you to remember God’s commandment of love for your neighbor. In times of coronavirus, the best manifestation of such love is not to create danger to the health and life of your neighbor.

The state will make every effort for everyone to be able to celebrate Easter at home.

I hope that all heads of the churches will facilitate this decision as much as possible. They understand the responsibility they bear for the safety of their parishioners.

We will talk more about our vision for Easter celebration this year soon.

You know, today, according to statistics, 78% of coronavirus patients in Ukraine are people under 60. Relatively few of the elderly people are ill because they adhere to self-isolation.

There is one very dangerous thing in the fight against coronavirus – to think that it will not affect you. Anyone who believes that he is not 70, and therefore he is safe, that he has some special immunity, and therefore can neglect wearing a mask, washing hands with soap, keeping distance and generally staying at home, makes a great mistake and takes a risk. Therefore, please follow a very simple formula: stay home – stay healthy.

Dear Ukrainians! I know how tired you are and how difficult it is for you to stay home all the time. Yes, it feels like we all became the heroes of “Groundhog Day” movie.

The same people around. The same day’s routine.

The same conversations, the same news and TV shows every day. From morning till night.

I understand you, because I am in this situation myself. Today, the building on Bankova Street has actually become our home, because we work almost around the clock.

And the only picture change for me is the empty streets early in the morning and the empty streets late at night. All the same. Seven days a week.

Therefore, I understand how difficult it is for you to constantly stay in four walls with the same people. It is difficult. Sometimes you get into quarrels and domestic conflicts. But remember that it is your family that is near you.

Yes, sometimes you want to escape, go outside. Especially when the weather is so good.

But think of the possibility that you can get the virus on the street and bring it home to your family. Your loved ones can get sick. And God forbid, I don’t want this to happen to any of you, they may even die.

We all once lost loved ones. And then regretted not appreciating every moment. That we did not tell them so many things. That we did not apologize for all the words spoken under emotions. And we would definitely do anything to bring them back.

Let’s appreciate those who are near us now.

It is possible to make peace. But it isn’t possible to return those we have lost.

Let us take care of our nearest and dearest, and not put them at risk.

Let’s maximize the use of the benefits of quarantine.

Remember how each of us complained about the lack of time.

How we all said: “Another hour to the day would be nice, another day off”.

There are so many new books and movies that I have missed.

We have all promised ourselves: I will improve my English, sort out the mess on my computer desktop, this Monday I will definitely do abs exercises. Well, from next Monday, I will definitely do abs exercises.

We all wanted to call our parents. Not for a second, but at least for an hour.

They really need it. We wanted to call friends we hadn’t heard for almost 10 years, because we were constantly working, working, working …

Talk to your wife. Not “Hi, thanks for the dinner, kiss, good night”. But for real. Remember all the nice moments, trips, the first date and fall in love with each other again.

Talk to your own children. Not “Okay, fine. You’ll stop wanting that. Why don’t you do lessons…” But for real. Understand their hobbies, dreams, fears.

And, of course, to finally clean up the mess on the balcony – this museum of junk, which “cannot be thrown away, because someday it will come in handy”.

We were constantly leaving something until tomorrow. Tomorrow has come.

It’s time to do what we’ve been wanting for a long time.

Dear Ukrainians! Let’s take it all as a challenge. We all really want to have a normal summer. Not the summer of self-isolation, but normal. With sea, travel, ice cream and suntan.

Let us make it a normal summer. Let us stay home a little bit, not allow the spread of the virus and then be sure to celebrate our victory over the disease.

Keep well, fellow Ukrainians! I wish you 36.6! 

Take care of ourselves! Save Ukraine!