Mikhail Mishustin: “The WHO predicts that the spread of the new strain may increase the load on the healthcare system and lead to a rise in the number of hospital patients. We are seeing what is happening in other countries. In some of them, there is a particularly rapid increase in the number of cases of the new mutation. We must be ready for any scenario and consider the experience of other states.”
Meeting of the Presidium of the Government Coordination Council on countering the spread of Covid-19 in Russia
Excerpts
from the transcript:
Mikhail
Mishustin: Good afternoon, colleagues,
We will
discuss the coronavirus developments in Russia, in part, linked to the
appearance of a new strain. The World Health Organisation (WHO) predicts that the spread of the new strain
may increase the load on the healthcare system and lead to a rise in the number
of hospital patients.
We are
seeing what is happening in other countries. In some of them, there is a
particularly rapid increase in the number of cases of the new mutation. We must
be ready for any scenario and consider the experience of other states.
Under
these conditions, we must continue studying the strains that are circulating.
The Government will allocate an additional 90 million roubles to our
epidemiologists so that they can carry out genetic analysis. Timely research is
necessary in order to prevent the spread of the infection, assess the
efficiency of the PCR systems and develop vaccines.
Following
the President’s instructions, the Government continues to monitor the medical
facilities to make sure they have everything necessary to combat Covid-19. Our healthcare
system has been overloaded with work for practically two years.
Coronavirus
patients undergo different medical examinations, including X-rays. They are now
conducted more often and the equipment wears out quicker. We decided to
allocate 10 billion roubles to the regions for the repair and replacement of
equipment used for checkups and for the
treatment of Covid-19 patients. The funds will be sent to 54 regions that will
also be able to spend them on the purchase of expendable materials for
hospitals and personal protective equipment for staff.
As for
oxygen, in order to maintain reserves at the proper level, the regions need to
be able to transport it to medical facilities. We will involve the Russian Foundation
for Technological Development (RFTD) in the purchase of special transport for
the storage and delivery of oxygen. The Government signed a resolution that
allows it to finance such projects. This will allow it to purchase about 90
units of equipment worth 750 million roubles and resolve the problem of the
oxygen required by our serious patients. There are still many of them in
hospitals in this country, as well as those who prefer to undergo treatment at
home.
Today, about
300,000 medical workers are taking care of Covid-19 patients. We will continue supporting
the medical personnel working with coronavirus patients, in part, by granting
them special social payments, introduced by the decision of the President. The
Government sent over 50 billion roubles to make sure that medical workers
received payments for November, December and January.
This does not include the President-initiated
double payments for medical and social workers in residential care
facilities. We will also provide them with funds.
