In lieu to curb the spread of virus, leaders across the world are sealing borders, restricting transport movement, debarring mass gatherings, directing people to stay home, Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko is ignoring expert advice and taking a dangerous approach--by doing nothing at all.
Lukashenko has described the stringent measures taken by other countries as “utter stupidity” and told Belarusians that the pandemic is nothing more than a “psychosis.”
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According to the health ministry, as of Monday, Belarus had 152 cases of COVID-19. The president of the country said that they would not take any precautions against the coronavirus, adding, "it happens.”
Apparently, in the former Soviet republic of 9.5 million people, there is no talk regarding social distancing or quarantine. Shopping malls are open, public transportation continues to run, theaters are screening films, restaurants carry on serving customers.
Recently, Belarusian President Aleksandr Lukashenko displayed an iron calm, saying, “The most important thing is not to panic.”
Lukashenko stated that everyone who came from abroad was tested, saying: "Two to three people a day have been tested positive for the coronavirus. These people are quarantined for 1.5-2 weeks.”
Although the government has not taken any precautionary measures, citizens in the capital Minsk prefer to stay in their homes due to concerns about the virus.
Young people and children don't want to go to school. Many universities in the country also decided to take their morning classes to later hours to ensure the safety of their students due to the traffic in the morning.
According to media reports, the Belarusian president reassured the public that the situation in the country is calm due to the limited spread of COVID-19, while Russia “is blazing with coronavirus.”
“We have not developed this virus, and we were not and are not a point where this virus started," he said.
Despite the coronavirus pandemic, Belarus was the only European country that has not canceled the football league in the country and garnered huge public Last Friday, a match between Belarusian teams Torpedo-BelAZ Zhodino and Belshina Bobruisk was the only professional match played in the world.