On March 15, 2020 the Special Republican Commission on Prevention of the Covid-19 Spread led by the Prime Minister of the Republic of Uzbekistan Abdulla Aripov has adopted a number of measures against the spread of Coronavirus (COVID-19) in the territory of the Republic of Uzbekistan:
- Starting from March 16, 2020 Uzbekistan temporarily closed its borders for air and auto transport. Railway connection will be closed on 19 March 2020 in order to enable trains that are currently outside the Republic of Uzbekistan to return to the territory of the country.
- Starting from March 16, 2020 holiday period announced in all the governmental and non-governmental educational institutions. From this date pre-schools, schools, colleges, lyceums and higher educational institutions will be closed for quarantine.
- All large-scale (sport, cultural) governmental and non-governmental events are cancelled in the territory of the Republic of Uzbekistan. Particularly, this year Navruz holiday and other related events will not be publicly celebrated.
State Customs Committee of the Republic of Uzbekistan has provided comments on the effects of these measures on import and export operations: “it is important to note that these limitations do not cover people and transportation dealing with transfer of goods by road, rail, sea, river and air, as well as movement of foreign trade goods” – the governmental body states.
It should be noted that the government has adopted such measures after the first registered case of Coronavirus infection in the Republic of Uzbekistan, which took place on 15 March 2020.