The Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine supported the initiative of the Ministry of Health and amended the resolution regulating the rules of adaptive quarantine. The Minister of Health of Ukraine Maxym Stepanov stated this at a briefing following the Government meeting on August 12.

"Today, members of the Government supported the proposed changes to adaptive quarantine. This is the most relevant form of the new reality, so that quarantine restrictions are as comfortable as possible for Ukrainians and at the same time ensuring the containment of coronavirus," said Maxym Stepanov.

According to the Minister of Health, the level of COVID-19 threat will be determined by three indicators - the occupancy of medical institutions, the average number of testing and the incidence rate in administrative-territorial units.

"Each region has determined hospitals for patients with COVID-19. If the occupancy in these medical institutions exceeds 50% for 5 consecutive days, it is considered as a transition to another level of danger. Regarding the second point - the average number of testings by PCR and ELISA methods must be at least 24 per 100,000 population in the last 7 days. This indicator is determined at the regional level. Regarding the last point, the baseline incidence of COVID-19 is now 40 cases per 100,000 population in 14 days. The city or district where this indicator is exceeded is being transferred to a new level of epidemic danger," Maxym Stepanov explained.

The Minister also stressed that the decision to relax the "red", "orange" and "yellow" levels of epidemic danger cannot be reviewed earlier than 14 days.

"The maximum incubation period for COVID-19 makes up 14 days. Two weeks is the period for us to realize whether the restrictions have been implemented effectively and whether the situation in the region has stabilized," Maxym Stepanov stressed.

It should be noted that at the regular meeting of the Central Commission for Technogenic and Environmental Safety and Emergencies a decision will be made on the new division of the country into zones at high risk for the spread of COVID-19.