It’s like he’s vaporized. Where did the coronavirus go?

Many Russian cities, including Moscow, are gradually lifting restrictions imposed due to the coronavirus. International borders are opening, air travel is being restored. And the threat of a pandemic seems less and less real. That is why many people are in a hurry to return to their usual way of life: they actively plan trips, neglect social distance and refuse personal protective equipment.

But how justified is such a rush? Could the virus simply “vaporize”? Let’s find out together with Mikhail Lebedev, leading expert of the Molecular Diagnostics Center of the Central Research Institute of Epidemiology of Rospotrebnadzor, partner of the International Festival of Health and Sports SN PRO EPXO FORUM.

Has the coronavirus disappeared?

Some people took the partial abolition of restrictions as a call to an active social life: supposedly, COVID-19 is no longer dangerous, and life will immediately return to its usual course. However, this approach is strange, to say the least. The virus has not disappeared anywhere, and its circulation continues. As the expert notes, this is evident from the daily statistics.

Mikhail: Now we have a fairly stable picture, but at the same time, there are new infected people every day. On average, more than 5 thousand new cases are detected in Russia per day, and if we take Moscow – more than 600. These figures do not allow us to say that the virus has gone somewhere, although we would like it very much.

Nevertheless, the coronavirus circulation has decreased considerably, the expert admits. For comparison, at the height of the pandemic, about 20% of smears (tests for infection) were positive. Now, according to the epidemiologist, their number does not exceed 1%.
This trend can be called positive, but it does not mean that the virus has really disappeared and the world is no longer threatened by the pandemic. Accordingly, there is no need to relax.

Can we not wear masks?

According to the doctor, today the main task is to reduce the circulation of the coronavirus as much as possible. Therefore, keeping a social distance and personal protective equipment are still necessary.
To be more effective, medical masks or respirators should be worn by the vast majority. This is especially important where distancing is difficult – on public transportation, in stores and during public events.

Mikhail: It is not necessary to wear them (masks – Editor’s note) on the street, as the virus does not fly through the air, but is transmitted by airborne droplets and through surfaces.

Also, do not forget about hand hygiene – regularly and thoroughly wash them with soap and use disinfectants.

As the doctor notes, the virus will really disappear only if we all observe the necessary protective measures.

Is there a fine for violating the mask regime?

Although in Russia, as in some other countries, the restrictive measures have been relaxed, penalties for violation of the mask regime still exist.

Tourists should be especially attentive to this – although many countries have opened their borders to travelers, it is still necessary to observe epidemiological precautions. Here are a few countries where fines for the absence of medical masks are still in force:

Russia: 3,000 to 5,000 rubles.

Turkey: 900 Turkish lira (9095 rubles).

Germany: from €15 (1300 rubles) to €500 (43,450 rubles).

Great Britain: £100 (9614 rubles).

France: €150 (13,034 rubles).

Italy: up to €1000 (86,899 rubles).

USA: from $300 (22,113 rubles) to $500 (36,856 rubles).