Ukraine January lockdown to ban sale of many products, chamber says

Ukraine’s cabinet recently decided that the January
lockdown will include a ban on the sale of many non-food products in retail
outlets, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce in Ukraine reported on its website on
Jan. 4. Those goods that will be sold – between Jan. 8 and 24 – include food,
pet food, medicine and medical-related products, hygiene-related, seeds and
plant protection. Among the goods to be prohibited are
household cleaners and supplies, clothing, periodicals, lamps, batteries and
school supplies.

 

The respective sections must be sealed off to the
pubic or the sale of these products must denied at checkout counters, the
report said. “In the view of company members of the chamber, this decision
isn’t only a direct restriction on the rights of consumers in acquiring the
necessary products, but also potentially leads to conflictual situations in
stores,” the chamber stated, adding that the policy is illogical and could lead
to more damages for businesses.

 

The information on the ban on the sale of non-food
products in supermarkets isn’t accurate, Health Minister Maksym Stepanov told
his daily press briefing this morning. He said the listed goods are allowed for
sale as long as at least 60% of a retailer’s territory is designated for the
sale of these goods collectively. At the same time he acknowledged certain
goods are prohibited for sale, including household cleaners, based on the
lockdown being only for 16 days.

 

“Sixteen days is that period that we need to fully
disrupt the wave of the spread of COVID-19. We need this in order to avoid any
lockdowns afterwards so that we calmly get through the peak of growing flu
illnesses, so that we don’t impose any lockdowns by the spring, so that we
calmly get through this wave of illnesses and that our medical system
withstands this,” Stepanov told the briefing.

 

New infections of the COVID-19 disease caused by the
coronavirus reached 5,334 on Jan. 4, Stepanov said. That’s compared to 4,158 on
Jan. 3 and 4,576 on Jan. 2. An estimated 202 people died on Jan. 4, compared to
73 on Jan. 3 and 123 on Jan. 2. An estimated 13,850 people recovered on Jan 4,
compared to 4,693 on Jan. 3 and 6,250 on Jan. 2.

 

Zenon Zawada: The
lockdown is a damper on economic and investment activity, regardless of what
products are allowed to be sold. If the report on the prohibitions is true, it
would be among the more extreme measures to be taken by a government. Also,
it’s not clear how banning the sale of household cleaners would restrict the
spread of the coronavirus.

 

COVID-19 cases have plummeted markedly ahead of the
lockdown during the last two weeks. Stepanov attributed this to the success of
the November lockdown (though he had consistently said it wasn’t fully upheld).
We believe it’s because of reduced social interaction and business activity
during the holiday season in Ukraine, which begins as early as Dec. 19 on St.
Nicholas Day.

 

President Zelensky made a highly questionable
statement on Jan. 4, expecting a “COVID boom” will occur in the aftermath of
the holidays. Indeed, many Ukrainians have already reduced or canceled their
holiday plans owing to the coronavirus. Moreover, COVID-19 cases have already
plummeted.

 

But even if there is a surge, it won’t be able to
be proven since the lockdown will be imposed just after Christmas Day on Jan.
7. That will inevitably skew the incidents of infection. So we view his
statement as attempting to justify an unpopular policy, the severe lockdown,
despite cases plummeting already. This fits his overall preoccupation with
trying to remain popular with the public.