YEREVAN. – Zhoghovurd daily of Armenia writes: The rise in deaths from the coronavirus and the insufficient amount of vaccinations [against it] could force the [Armenian] authorities to take more drastic steps.

We receive information that the 14-day period of mandatory [COVID-19] testing [of the country’s unvaccinated employees] can become 10 days; that is, 3 times a month. This means that if until now unvaccinated [employed] citizens hoped that they could avoid vaccination by taking a test every 14 days, now they will have to take a test every 10 days.

Large fines are envisioned for employees who do not take the mandatory test and their employers, and if repeated several times, criminal prosecution may be instituted, too.

According to information being received from diplomatic channels, a number of Western countries make it clear that their governments are going to blacklist countries where the authorities are unable ensure a certain percentage of vaccinations, and the so-called blacklist may be an entry ban, financial and other type of economic restrictions.

The pandemic that is spreading day by day has in fact made the [Armenian] authorities face a problem. On the one hand, the number of [coronavirus-related] deaths and the large number of citizens in need of treatment, on the other hand, the risk of closed borders.