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/