Kyiv Mayor’s Coronavirus Update – April 27, 2020
27.04.2020
The mayor of Kyiv Vitali Klitschko held a briefing providing an update on the coronavirus situation in Ukraine’s capital and the measures the city is taking to respond.
Klitschko: I want to share an update on the coronavirus situation in Kyiv and the measures the city is taking to respond.
Over the weekend there are more 98 positive COVID-19 cases, brіngіng thеіr total number to 1220. Sadly, there are three more deaths in Kyiv due to coronavirus. Overall, 23 people have died from COVID-19.
In total 60 patients have recovered and been released from the hospital.
New cases are 48 females (25-79 years old), 41 males (18-82 years old) and eight children (4-17 years old). 20 more Lavra students and 16 healthcare workers have tested positive for the coronavirus disease.
11 patients have been hospitalised over the weekend.
Again I urge everyone to comply with the restrictions because so many of us have already relaxed about the quarantine. The next two weeks are very important and the city must avoid the spike of new cases. People are tired and exhausted, they live on a tight budget, but the more committed we all remain, the sooner we begin with our normal life. We all hope and do everything we can to flatten the curve.
The sooner we can lift the restrictions, the faster business will recover and help revive the economy.
As you may know, the city government has approved a stimulus package to support small and medium-sized enterprises. We reduced rents on municipal properties to 50% and offered a rent holiday for properties which are temporarily closed due to the lockdown (SMEs pay a symbolic ₴1 per month). Other relief measures include a tax holiday for social security fee (until April 30) and a loan repayment holiday (during the whole restriction period). Besides, the Kyiv businesses can apply for affordable loans and stand down their employees who will be entitled to the unemployment benefits.
But the relief assistance for SMEs does not depend on the city government’s commitment alone. Much of the роwеr rests with the national government and the Parliament, so Kyiv encourages them to help businesses affected by есоnоmіс hаrdshірs.
That is what we are suggesting. The central government should allocate more funds to encourage entrepreneurship. Currently, only 8,500 future businesses may be entitled to finance access, but there should be 100,000 of them. The programme must ensure that the bulk of cheap credit available to SMEs should be provided primarily to those unemployed due to the restrictions and the Ukrainians who have returned from abroad and want to start their own business.
A state-backed loan programme with a zero interest rate should be accessible to manufacturers generating new jobs. It will work to revive manufacturing, replace some imports and boost exports.
The local government should be already now able to determine the local taxes and charges and establish their rates depending on business activities.
A list of proactive steps may be longer, but the measures mentioned above are key for adoption and implementing in the nearest future to support the business and help the affected people.
Both Ukraine’s and Kyiv’s economy faces the worst crisis now and some urgent steps are required to reduce the impact of the pandemic. It is no time now for popularity ratings. It is time to make crucial and efficient decisions.
Let me remind that the government has extended the restrictions until May 11. Until then, by the Government’s order Metro in Kyiv, Dnipro and Kharkiv will stay closed. Based on the outbreak dynamics, a further decision will be settled in this context.
Metro is using this lockdown time to make an upgrade which is being carried out at absolutely all metro stations. Work crews replace the lighting, railway tracks, repair escalators and improve accessibility for passengers with disabilities.
As a public transportation system in Kyiv has reduced service, only medical professionals and workers who еnsurе соntіnuіtу of municipal sеrvісеs are eligible to use the municipal public transport by special permits. Every day 300 municipal-run buses, trolley-buses and trams carry over 40,000 passengers of such categories. They are running an adjusted schedule to continue service for the key workers despite a cut back of public transportation. All vehicles are being disinfected thrоughоut the day, their staff are equipped with facial masks.
I am often asked if there is a shortage of PCR testing kits in the city’s healthcare facilities. As of today, over 12,700 PCR tests have been conducted in Kyiv so far. Samples are processed by three facilities in Kyiv working almost non-stop: Oleksandrivska hospital, the city hospital No. 4 and the Kyiv Central Laboratory under Ukraine’s Health Ministry. Mobile response brigades collect samples for PCR testing across the city. In this way, 4,700 Kyivans have tested so far.
Over 400 coronavirus PCR tests are being performed in the city each day. At the moment there are enough such screening kits in Kyiv’s laboratories, though we continue to stockpile the kits and reagents, made mostly in China and South Korea.
As far as I know, Ukraine’s Health Ministry has ordered PCR test kits from the Ukrainian pharmaceutical companies. And a batch of 200,000 is now being distributed to the laboratories across Ukraine. Another 400,000 testing kits developed by the Institute of Molecular Biology and Genetics are expected to come in the near future.
Kyiv has not received any of them so far, though the majority of PCR tests is being carried out by the city’s labs. Obviously, Kyiv needs them the most, because every coronavirus-infected person gets tested three times.