Keynote Report on COVID-19 in Uzbekistan

Cases of COVID-19

— The number of cases of COVID-19 infection in Uzbekistan is declining, with an average of 34 new cases recorded daily. This is 3% of the peak reported on January 24th.

— The country has recorded 237,508 coronavirus-related infections and 1,637 deaths since the start of the pandemic.

Measures to contain the COVID-19 pandemic

— Wearing masks is recommended in public places, but as of March 1, it is no longer mandatory.

— From March 16, vaccinated foreign citizens can enter Uzbekistan without a PCR test. Unvaccinated travelers still need to provide a negative PCR test no longer than 72 hours.

Impact of Covid-19 on the socio-economic situation and risks at the community level

— COVID-19 has had several shock effects on Uzbekistan, including the loss of income among employed people due to self-isolation and a reduction in income from remittances.

— In addition to basic services, the direct result of the COVID-19 restrictions has been significant job losses, bankruptcies, and widening government deficits. This is due to restrictions on personal movement and economic activity.

— Migration and remittance income declined rapidly after the outbreak. Approximately 70% of migrant workers from Uzbekistan live in Russia, and given the depreciation of the ruble and travel restrictions, remittance income - one of the most important factors in reducing poverty - has fallen sharply. The World Bank study "Listening to the citizens of Uzbekistan" showed that without remittances, the poverty rate in the country could have increased by 16.8%.

Vaccine

— To date, at least 43,564,564 doses of COVID vaccines have been administered in Uzbekistan. Assuming each person needs 2 doses, this is enough to vaccinate about 64.9% of the country's population.

— Most recently, on March 17, Uzbekistan received 200,000 doses of vaccines from the Japanese government through the COVAX center. This assistance is expected to help contain the spread of COVID-19 in Central Asia.

— The Government of Uzbekistan actively encourages vaccination and encourages people to stay at home as much as possible; it even created a web page with 515 services that can be used from home to lead a comfortable life.

Original source: https://graphics.reuters.com/world-coronavirus-tracker-and-maps/countries-and-territories/uzbekistan/