Kurdistan Regional Minister of Health states that lockdown cannot solve coronavirus crisis, sticking to health measures is the solution.

Saman Barzinji, Kurdistan Regional Health Minister, stated during a press conference in Duhok: 40% of tests in Iraq are done in Kurdistan Region, about 5 to 6 thousands tests daily, which is a vast number and represents there is a good control and inspection of the infection.

Regarding the resumption of lockdown, he said that “lockdown played a major role in protecting Kurdistan Region for a long time, and minimized the pandemic in its time,” but he also added that “Now life is not just normalized in Iraq and Kurdistan Region, but all over the world.”, which means re-implementing lockdown would be impossible.

Saman Barzinji also pointed out that “Cessation of life is not a solution; the solution is to comply with health instructions and reinforce measures.”

He also asserted, they will revise and evaluate the health measures, and the measures must be sharpened in all places so as to reduce the impact of the coronavirus infection.

Moreover, Health Minister stated that the numbers of infectees and deaths are high; therefore people shall stick with announced health instructions, and asked the private sectors to aid the government and people in this field.

Edited by: Dr. Yadasht Salih