In the context of the coronavirus pandemic, not only the usual way of people’s life is changing in the world, but also the arrangement of work of institutions, enterprises, and even entire industries. School holidays are extended, enterprises switch to a remote mode of work and distance learning, people go on forced vacations, or even, as in Russia, a non-working period and a self-isolation regime are announced. Of course, all these measures are conditioned by only one thing — the preservation of life and health of people.
However, even in the most difficult situation, doctors, law enforcement officers, rescuers, employees of grocery stores and pharmacies, public transport and food industry enterprises, municipal specialists, agricultural workers, and government bodies cannot switch to self-isolation.
When the "time of troubles" is over, we will bow deeply to all medical workers and will not forget to say our words of gratitude to other professionals who ensured the uninterrupted activities of the state and the life of citizens even in such difficult conditions.
The Armed Forces of the Republic of Belarus also operate as usual, and perform tasks as intended. Military units and subdivisions are on alert and are engaged in planned combat training. The personnel participate in exercises and trainings, guard military facilities, maintain equipment, and transfer it to summer operation.
During the pandemic, military personnel are much safer than other citizens. Even though soldiers and officers, due to the specifics of their service and daily activities, often cannot observe the social distancing regime recommended to the population.
First of all, soldiers have limited contacts with the local population, since they are practically constantly in military camps or at training grounds. In barracks, canteens and other common areas, strict sanitary control is constantly ensured. Laboratory diagnostics are carried out in a timely manner. In a difficult epidemiological situation, a quarantine regime is automatically introduced at the places of deployment of military personnel. Moreover, soldiers are always in the sight of their commanders and colleagues, which means that it is simply impossible not to notice or hide the obvious symptoms of the disease.
In addition, each formation and military unit has its own medical units. All of them are provided with medical equipment no less modern than public hospitals. If necessary, military personnel can be evacuated to specialized medical institutions not only by car, but also by military aviation. But in this difficult time, the army cannot stand aside.
The President of Belarus has ordered the involvement of military doctors to assist the medical staff of hospitals in the fight against viral diseases. The head of state regards the participation of military specialists not only as their additional training, substantial assistance, but also as a way to objectively control the situation.
It should be noted that today in many states the army is involved in measures to combat the spread of coronavirus. Field medical hospitals have been deployed, military vehicles carry out various transportation, military personnel is involved in the protection of important facilities, disinfection of premises, equipment and territory.
Thus, US President Donald Trump has ordered to send a thousand troops to New York City to assist the city authorities, and thousands more military doctors are getting ready to be sent to other states of the country. In Switzerland, about 8 thousand reservists from among doctors, specialists in logistics and security have been called up to the army by the end of June. The Bundeswehr has begun to call on military medical reservists, who are reinforcing the personnel of military hospitals and are also sent to hospitals in 35 cities and regions to help civilian doctors. To provide the health care system with support both in the medical field itself and in the field of logistics, reservists from Austria, Great Britain, Israel, and a number of other countries are being drafted into the army from the reserve. On 2 April, a decree on calling up those liable for military service for special fees for staffing territorial troops was signed by the President of Kazakhstan. Reservists within their populated areas will serve at checkpoints, patrol, disinfect and guard facilities.
The medical service of the Belarusian army is a real reserve of the country’s healthcare system. The Armed Forces have their own sanitary and epidemiological center, five medical centers, three of which are military clinical facilities. The main asset of the Belarusian military medicine is highly qualified staff. There are many doctors with academic degrees among employees of the medical service. There are specialists who have gained experience in combat conditions in Afghanistan, in the elimination of the consequences of the disaster at the Chernobyl nuclear power plant. Belarusian military doctors regularly carry out practical activities as part of the UN Interim Force in Lebanon. Now they have to pass a new important exam.