Ukraine completing preparation for COVID-19 pandemic peak – PM Shmyhal

Ukraine is completing the process of preparation of the medical system for the coronavirus pandemic peak and is ready for the next step - stabilization of the economic situation.
Prime Minister of Ukraine Denys Shmyhal said this during a meeting of the Economic Development Council of Ukraine on Tuesday, April 28, the Government portal reported.

“The next coronavirus outbreak peak, if it occurs, will be met by a well-prepared medical system. The market is saturated with personal protective equipment, hospitals are geared up, people demonstrate discipline to comply with sanitary standards. The Government is now focusing on supporting small and medium-sized businesses and stabilizing the economic situation,” the prime minister said.

The meeting was attended by Minister for Economic Development, Trade and Agriculture Ihor Petrashko, Deputy Director of the National Institute for Strategic Studies, Secretary of the Council Yaroslav Zhalilo, Director of Ptoukha Institute for Demography and Social Studies of NAS of Ukraine Ella Libanova, Senior Fellow at the US Atlantic Council Anders Åslund, Advisor to the President of Ukraine Oleh Ustenko, Managing Partner at the Capital Times Eric Nyman, Professor at Columbia University Willem Buiter, and Professor of Economics, Finance and Risk Management at Kyiv Mohyla Business School Yevhen Pentsak.

The participants discussed the five stages of quarantine exit presented by the Government. In particular, they emphasized that one of the main factors of economic recovery should be an increase in PCR testing - up to 10,000 a day.

Next week, the Government plans to approve a decree on the procedure for the introduction of the first stages of quarantine exit, Shmyhal announced.

“So far we are heading towards the peak, which is forecast by the National Academy of Sciences between May 3 and May 8. However, the Government has a plan of easing restrictions. We will approve how exactly the first measures will be implemented so that both business and citizens can prepare for that in advance,” he said.

Heads of Parliamentary Committees were also present at the meeting, in particular, Chairman of the Verkhovna Rada Committee on Economic Development Dmytro Natalukha, Chairman of the Verkhovna Rada Budget Committee Yurii Aristov, Chairman of the Verkhovna Rada Committee on Humanitarian and Information Policy Oleksandr Tkachenko.

PM Schmyhal stressed the importance of cooperation between the Government and Parliament in developing initiatives to support entrepreneurs.