The claim by Palytsia that the government had no role in imposing quarantine is not true – fact-check

Member of Parliament from the For the Future group Ihor Palytsia stated that the Government had no involvement in imposing the quarantine in the country, claiming that everything was done by local authorities.

Quote: “The Government has nothing to do with the imposition of the quarantine. The quarantine was imposed much earlier than the government did, by local authorities. The government showed its complete helplessness. City councils, regional councils and the citizens themselves handled the quarantine” (Ihor Palytsia, Member of Parliament, on the political talk show Right to Power, 04.06.2020)

In fact, on 11 March 2020 the Cabinet of Ministers at its session decided to introduce restrictive measures across all of Ukraine. In particular, restrictions were introduced on holding mass events with the planned participation of 200 or more people, and educational institutions were closed. They also decided to allocate 100 million hryvnias for the priority purchase of personal protective equipment for the current needs of ministries, agencies and services and to replenish the state reserve.

After the Government introduced the restrictive measures, local authorities were to take responsibility for organizing and controlling compliance with the quarantine. Stricter measures began to be implemented from 16 March in Kyiv, Lviv, Odesa, Zaporizhzhia. Thus, the decision to impose a quarantine in Ukraine was made by the Government itself, not by local authorities.

And only a few days before the Cabinet’s decision on a nationwide quarantine, Chernivtsi region and the city of Sumy on 6 March suspended the educational process.

“A meeting of the regional emergency situations commission has just concluded. A decision was made to suspend the educational process in the region’s schools, and, accordingly, in the city of Chernivtsi. Also higher education institutions of all accreditation levels. For kindergartens – local self-government bodies were recommended to suspend the educational process as well,” said then-mayor Oleksii Kaspruk, Chernivtsi mayor, on Facebook.

On 25 March the Cabinet introduced a state of emergency regime across the territory of Ukraine for a period of 30 days, until 24 April 2020, due to the spread of the coronavirus disease in 13 regions. According to this decision, health care institutions were to begin examining persons who have symptoms of COVID-19 or who had been in contact with persons diagnosed with COVID-19, even if these persons refuse voluntary examination, hospitalizing such persons, and also ordering quarantine for persons diagnosed with COVID-19 who evade voluntary treatment. At the same time, the National Police and the National Guard began to ensure the protection of public safety and order in the adjacent territory of facilities where examination, hospitalization or forced quarantine takes place.

Eventually, after almost two months from the start of the quarantine, on 11 May the Cabinet of Ministers for the first time lifted some restrictions. In particular, visiting museums, dentists or funeral service offices was allowed.

From 22 May Ukraine began transitioning to adaptive quarantine, which envisages a phased easing of quarantine restrictions. From 25 May kindergartens and public transport began operating.

Now across the country quarantine restrictions are gradually being lifted in all spheres, but only in those cities and regions where the epidemiological situation allows.

As of 30 June, according to the Ministry of Health, Ukraine recorded 44 334 cases of the coronavirus disease COVID-19: 1159 people died, 19 115 – recovered.

Recall, recently Kyiv mayor Vitali Klitschko overstated the requirements imposed on owners of businesses in the service sector. Despite his statement that owners of Kyiv service-sector businesses must ensure monthly testing of staff for COVID-19, legally such a requirement is only advisory in nature.