Since March 12, 2020, the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine has introduced a three-week quarantine. The Government adopted the relevant decision on March 11, 2020.
This means that:
- all educational institutions should be closed;
- mass meetings of more than 200 people are prohibited;
- number of countries will close air services (including Italy);
- number of border points are reduced from 219 to 49.
In addition, it was decided to purchase infrared equipment for screening at a distance at Boryspil International Airport.
Quarantine terms may change depending on the epidemiological situation in Ukraine.
The Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine has restricted the export of anti-epidemic products till June 1, 2020.
The export of the following items will be prohibited:
- waterproof laboratory suit (code UKTZED 3926 20 00 00, 6210 10 92 00, 6210 10 98 00);
- gloves made of other polymeric materials (3926 20 00 00);
- non-sterile, non-lacquered nitrile medical gloves (4015 11 00 00, 4015 19 00 00);
- nitrile powdered gloves (4015 11 00 00, 4015 19 00 00);
- medical disposable bathrobe (3926 20 00 00, 6210 10 92 00, 6210 10 98 00);
- medical masks (surgical) (6307 90 98 00);
- goggles (9004 90 10 00, 9004 90 90 00);
- protective shield (9004 90 10 00, 9004 90 90 00);
- respirator of protection class not lower than FFP2 (9020 00 00 00).
This restriction is caused solely by security measures to prevent the spread of coronavirus in Ukraine.
The State Aviation Service of Ukraine announced on its official website that the strengthened disinfection regime has been introduced at the airports of Ukraine. Aircraft operators providing international flights to/from affected by COVID-19 are advised to increase the amount of aircraft disinfection (preventive and for disease control purposes) at each airport en route.
At international airports, where there is a potential threat of the import of acute respiratory disease caused by COVID-19 into the territory of Ukraine, premises for isolators are allocated, temperature screening of passengers and interrogation are conducted before the beginning of border and customs clearance of international flights.
All airport infrastructure operates on a regular basis.
Airlines are reducing flights due to the spread of coronavirus.
Thus, Ukraine International Airlines has reported that, in response to recommendations by many governments, to avoid mass events, it cancels some flights to Italy, Switzerland, Greece, Germany, Israel, Spain, the United Kingdom, Lithuania, Azerbaijan, Turkey, Poland, Hungary, Austria, Czech Republic, Finland, Denmark, as well as the frequency of individual domestic flights within Ukraine.
SkyUp Airlines is preparing changes to the flight program, which will be announced in the near future on social networks.
Ryanair has announced the complete cessation of flights to Italy. From March 12 until April 8 inclusive, the low cost will cease all domestic flights in Italy, and from March 14 until April 8, stop flights on all international routes to and from Italy. Passengers who want to go home will be able to reschedule their departure free of charge to an earlier date.
The airline has also promised to make a full refund or provide a voucher which can be used use within the next 12 months.
AirBaltic has announced the cancellation of flights from Riga to Rome from March 10 and to Tel Aviv from March 11. The flight program is suspended until May 31. At the same time AirBaltic postponed the launch of the new Tallinn – Rome flight on June 1st. Earlier, the air carrier stopped flights from Riga to Milan and Verona until the end of April. It happened after a passenger with a COVID-19 coronavirus was found aboard a Milan – Riga flight on March 7.
Wizz Air adjusted its flight schedule and canceled flights on certain routes to Northern Italy from March 11 to April 2, 2020. About 60% of flights were reduced during this period. Passengers who have booked their tickets are automatically informed and posted on the alternate route as soon as possible due to this change, but no later than 14 days before the start date of the flight.
LOT introduces flexible rebooking rules. The procedure applies to individual reservations made by March 31st. The flights are scheduled between March 6 and April 24, 2020. You can change your travel date for flights free of charge until December 31, 2020 (travel must be completed by that period), provided the same routing and booking are maintained.
Turkish Airlines charges a fee for booking tickets purchased between March 6 and March 24 (excluding domestic flights within Turkey). In addition, for tickets purchased before March 5, 2020, for flights operated until December 31, 2020 (excluding domestic flights), the first change request will be applied free of charge, provided that the replacement is completed by March 16, 2020.
The National Bank of Ukraine announced that it would help the banking system, business and citizens prevent the spread of the virus.
Taking into account the recommendations of the World Health Organization and the Ministry of Health of Ukraine, as well as the experience of other countries, the National Bank proposes to take first steps to protect self during cash transactions:
- wash your hands carefully after using banknotes and coins, especially before eating;
- after contact with banknotes and coins, do not touch the face (eyes, nose, mouth);
- use non-cash payments, contactless and mobile payments, payments using Apple Pay, Google Pay, smartphones and smart watches, chip payment cards;
- periodically disinfect payment cards, mobile devices, ballpoint pens and ink pens that can be used to sign receipts, payment documents.
So right now, the habit of cashless payments can come in handy. Indeed, during this period you can:
- order and pay for products and goods online;
- not to visit banking branches and choose remote service;
- make utility payments through the online services of banks or payment operators;
- use non-cash payment by means of a payment or transport card.
The current high level of automation of hryvnia banknote processing will also effectively help prevent the spread of the virus. In order to reduce the risk of the coronavirus spread, the cash that the National Bank of Ukraine receives from banks will initially be stored in separate storage for at least 14 days. This period is significantly longer than the coronavirus survival time on surfaces (from several hours to several days according to available data).
Only after this storage period the banknotes will be processed using specialized high-speed machines. Banknotes that are fit for circulation will be packaged in packs and heat-shrink wrap. At this stage, the stack of banknotes in the heat shrink oven are subjected to a temperature shock (160 ºC), which will also help combat the virus.
The National Bank of Ukraine has stated that the risk of the spread of coronavirus can slow down economic activity in Ukraine. So far, the spread of coronavirus infection has had a limited and neutral impact on the Ukrainian economy.
The risk of the spread of coronavirus in the world can lead to a recession in the world economy and a significant slowdown in economic activity in Ukraine.
Significant decline in global demand, as well as the revaluation of the risks of developing countries by investors, could negatively affect Ukraine's foreign trade indicators and complicate the attraction of financing.
At the same time, Ukrainian exports are continuing to increase and some reductions in the prices of individual domestic exports have been more than offset by the further increase in the physical volume of deliveries abroad.
Prices for goods that Ukraine imports, especially energy, are falling even faster than exports.
The Ukrainian currency market responds to uncertainty about the virus situation and increased turbulence in the financial and commodity markets with low sentiments and increased nervousness.
According to the NBU, the economic activity and inflation in Ukraine have not yet been affected by such effects caused by the spread of the coronavirus as lower prices and cooling of the world economy, softening of monetary policies by the central banks of the leading economies of the world, and measures taken by the governments of other countries to prevent the spread of the virus.
In addition to falling prices in the world markets due to the coronavirus, competitive wars between oil producing countries that have recently unfolded will contribute to lower inflation in Ukraine. They will provoke support for record low energy prices, which will also affect the prices of Ukrainian exports.
In general, as the National Bank notes, all of these factors will have a multi-directional impact on economic growth and inflation in Ukraine, compounding uncertainty.
At the same time, concluding a new program with the International Monetary Fund will reduce the vulnerability of Ukraine's economy in the period of turbulence in world markets during peak payments on public debt.
Investors' attitude to Ukraine will also be influenced by the decisions of the Ukrainian courts regarding the liability and obligations of bankrupt bank owners.
