Armenia's state of emergency softened

Armenian Deputy Prime Minister Tigran Avinyan, who is the commandant for the state of emergency, posted Tuesday on his Facebook page key changes in the state of emergency.

Schools will open from 15 September. Universities will be partially opened: from September 1 - for full-time undergraduate students, the rest will be offered a hybrid educational process (distance theoretical and full-time practical classes).

Institutions of informal and lifelong education will function in a number of areas, for which appropriate regulations have been established. At the same time, there are still restrictions on the functioning of out-of-school sports, art and cultural classes.

Libraries, museums, cultural institutions are being opened, theater and concert events are allowed, and film screenings are also allowed, which must be held exclusively in the open air.

According to the decision of the commandant, from August 18, concessions are introduced into the mandatory wearing of masks. Masks now may not be worn by TV presenters if there are no other persons besides them during the broadcast of TV programs and TV programs in the TV pavilion. Specialists performing sign language translation during the broadcast of TV programs.

The commandant's office made some changes to the list of requirements for public catering facilities. Live music allowed - only outdoors. Up to 8 people are allowed to sit at one table - instead of the previous 5, ARKA reported.

A state of emergency was declared in Armenia on March 16, 2020 in order to suppress the spread of COVID-19, and then it was extended five times. Thus, according to the government's decision of August 12, the state of emergency is in effect in Armenia until 17:00 on September 11.

At the same time, restrictions on free movement and some types of economic activity introduced from March 24 were lifted on May 4, and, public transport, gyms, kindergartens and catering facilities resumed operating from May 18. From August 12, foreigners’ entry to the country was allowed. Holding meetings and rallies was allowed as well, but with wearing masks and observing social distance.

There are 41,846 confirmed COVID-19 infection cases, 832 deaths and 34,982 recovered patients in Armenia.