Today, the main problem in the world is the outbreak of coronavirus. Many countries are closing their borders and introducing quarantine measures. But what about the lives of people who live in close proximity to the focus of the disease? Blagoveshchensk is the end point of Russia, on the border with China. There are still checkpoints through which Russians return home. But despite this, there is still no Coronavirus in Blagoveshchensk.
Are there any infected or deceased in Blagoveshchensk
The virus from China forced the leadership of the region to introduce quarantine. Everyone who crossed the Russian border in Blagoveshchensk is required to undergo a quarantine period of 14 days. Such citizens are examined daily by medical workers, they conduct all kinds of laboratory tests to detect infection. According to the latest data, more than 600 people have already been tested for coronavirus in Blagoveshchensk and the Amur region, none of them have been diagnosed. The Center for Hygiene and Epidemiology in the Amur Region, where people are tested for infection, confirmed the information that there were no patients or deaths from COVID-19 in the region.
How Blagoveshchensk lives now: 750 meters to China
Despite the fact that the border in this region of Russia is still closed, customs works without interruption in Blagoveshchensk. Three checkpoints have been opened that allow Chinese and Russian citizens to return to their homeland. The number of newly arrived people has already decreased significantly, but the likelihood of infection in the region has remained the same.
The life of people in Heikh and Blagoveshchensk has always been closely interconnected. Due to the current situation, most Chinese citizens were forced to leave the city. Residents of the Amur Region who worked or studied in China also returned home. The city became empty. Local residents unnecessarily try not to go out into the streets, and there are simply no visitors.
The townspeople, because of the current situation, began to panic. Everyone is concerned about the possible shortage of goods and the rise in prices for them. Therefore, people began mass purchases of food and essentials. The city authorities assure the population that there is no reason to panic.
Impact of the virus on the city's economy
For many years, Blagoveshchensk's economy has been directly dependent on nearby China. The products of this country occupy the lion's share of the total turnover of the region:
- fruits;
- vegetables;
- cloth;
- technique;
- cars.
And this is not the whole list. With the closure of the borders, the import stopped. And those Chinese goods that have remained in the region are poorly bought by the residents of Blagoveshchensk. Therefore, everyone is afraid of the risk of contracting coronavirus, despite the fact that all imported products are carefully treated with disinfectants.
Transbaikalia directly depends on Chinese goods, because their cheapness helped to keep prices in the region. And now a rise in the price of products is expected, and perhaps even a shortage.
The biggest economic losses in the region were suffered by the tourism business. Agencies have lost many clients who were planning vacations in China. Carriers were left without work, and in view of the fact that most of the cars were bought by them on credit, problems with banks can also complicate the situation.
Protective measures in Blagoveshchensk and the Amur region
Only 750 meters from China, and the outbreak of the pandemic was never detected. The reason is that the authorities of Blagoveshchensk have introduced a number of mandatory quarantine procedures that help protect the region from coronavirus.
In the Amur region and Blagoveshchensk, in order to prevent infection with COVID-19, it was decided at the ministerial level to reduce the holding of sporting events to a minimum. Due to this:
- Sports events in which athletes from other countries and regions are required to participate are canceled
- Departure of Amur athletes outside the region is prohibited
- Major sports events are postponed indefinitely
- Competitions at the municipal or regional level can only be held if enhanced disinfection methods are used. And the number of competitors should not exceed 50 people.
In order to prevent the spread of the pandemic, in the educational institutions of the region, it was decided to comply with the following instructions:
- For technical schools, higher institutions and other similar institutions, the transition to distance learning and online learning has been temporarily implemented.
- Measures for sanitary and epidemiological control are being strengthened in schools and preschool educational institutions
If necessary, educational institutions will be closed for unscheduled holidays. But so far, the head of the region does not see the need for this.
The transport system of the region was also affected by anti-epidemic measures. At the railway stations of Blagoveshchensk and the Amur Region, the following measures have been introduced:
- All personnel who come into contact with passengers are provided with masks, gloves and antiseptics.
- In the premises of the stations, airing and disinfection are carried out twice a day using special detergents.
- Medical aid stations were equipped with anti-epidemic agents
- Doctors on duty 24 hours a day
- Disinfection of passenger trains
- Each passenger train is equipped with equipment for audio notification of passengers about the prevention of coronavirus.
The same situation is observed at the bus station and the airport of the city. Enhanced disinfection of aircraft and buses has been introduced to prevent the spread of coronavirus. The authorities of the region have taken all measures to prevent an outbreak of a pandemic.