MOSCOW, 22 January (BelTA) - The Eurasian Economic Commission proposes coordinated preventive measures as the countries of the Eurasian Economic Union resume rail passenger traffic, BelTA learned from the EEC press service.
"We expect improvements in the epidemiological situation on the back of the effective COVID-19 response in the Eurasian Economic Union and the start of the mass vaccination campaign. Thus the restrictive measures will be loosened and passenger traffic will resume," the EEC said. In this regard, ensuring the safety of citizens is getting to the fore as passenger traffic so needed for the economies of the Union is resumed."
This issue was high on the agenda of the meetings of the Supreme Eurasian Economic Council, the Eurasian Intergovernmental Council and the EEC Council. “Plans are in place to develop a set of measures to resume the free movement of citizens of the EAEU member states within the union, and to ensure health safety and compliance with the health and epidemiological requirements and recommendations,” the press service noted.
In this regard, the EEC Council has adopted the guidelines on measures to prevent the spread of COVID-19 in passenger rail service. The guidelines rely on a modern systemic approach to implementing preventive and organizational measures by transport, sanitary and epidemiological, border and customs services, and ensuring the safety of passengers, train crews, railway station staff in relation to COVID-19 and other respiratory infections,” the press service informed.
A large part of the recommended preventive measures have a comprehensive anti-epidemic focus. They suggest setting up "entry" temperature control, providing personal protective equipment and gloves, hand antiseptic, ensuring social distancing and separation of passenger flows.
The document is not binding. Given the dynamics of the health and epidemiological situation, the measures taken in the EAEU member states can be relaxed or tightened in accordance with the laws of the member states.
