Kazakhstan’s government to strengthen restrictive measures at Tengiz field
NUR-SULTAN, Kazakhstan – Kazakhstan is increasing restrictions on its territory in order to prevent the spread of coronavirus infection. From December 25, 2020, to January 5, 2021, entertainment, sports, and other public events, including New Year’s parties and holiday corporate parties, is prohibited.
“To strengthen restrictive measures in the Tengiz field until the epidemiological situation stabilises. Take measures to reduce prices for antioxidant drugs in the retail network by an average of 24%,” Kazakhstan’s Prime Minister Askar Mamin said following a meeting of the Interdepartmental Commission on December 21.
According to Kazakhstan’s Health Minister Aleksey Tsoi, the daily increase in new cases of coronavirus infection is 0.4%, the reproductive rate is 0.9. The occupancy rate of infectious beds is 28%, of intensive care beds – 20%. Five regions are located in zones of high and moderate risk: Atyrau, Kostanay, Pavlodar, North Kazakhstan, and Akmola regions. In January-February next year, against the backdrop of an increase in SARS and influenza, there is a risk of an increase in the incidence of coronavirus infection.
Kazakhstan’s President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev met with Tengizchevroil Director General Eimer Bonner in his capital residence, Akorda said on December 21.
Tokayev was informed about TengizChevrOil’s work to counter the spread of coronavirus at the company’s production facilities and the Tengiz field. During the meeting, the sides also discussed the implementation of a number of investment projects in the hydrocarbon sector and the company’s development prospects for the next 3-4 years.
The Kazakh President focused on the importance of ensuring the share of local content in the implementation of TengizChevrOil projects. At the end of the conversation, Tokayev thanked Bonner for his contribution to the development of the oil and gas industry and effective management of TCO.
Effective February 1, 2021, TCO’s current CEO Bonner will take over as president of Chevron Technical Center and become Chief Technology Officer of Chevron Corporation. Bonner has been serving as CEO of TCO since December 1, 2018.
Over the past day, 49 new cases of coronavirus infection have been detected in the Atyrau region, where the Tengiz field is located. Currently, 342 people are in the infectious diseases hospital at the Tengiz field, 228 patients are receiving treatment for COVID-19 at home, 86 people are in the regional infectious diseases hospital, 13 are in the regional infectious diseases hospitals, the regional publication ATPress reports. Since December 8, an enhanced quarantine has been maintained in Tengiz.
On December 21, according to the press service of the government of the republic, Kazakhstan launched the production of the Russian vaccine Sputnik V.
“The Prime Minister of Kazakhstan Askar Mamin visited the Karaganda pharmaceutical complex (the center of the republic, 220 kilometres from Nur-Sultan), where he launched the production of the Sputnik V vaccine,” the Kazakh premier’s office said.
The production was launched as part of the implementation of agreements between Tokayev and his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin.
On the basis of the complex, 2 million doses of vaccines will be produced in stages.
“The mass vaccination of Sputnik V, produced in Kazakhstan, will begin in February 2021,” Mamin said.
According to him, first of all, medical workers, teachers, students, law enforcement officers, the contingent of medical and social institutions, as well as representatives of risk groups with chronic diseases will be vaccinated on a voluntary basis.
The head of the government of Kazakhstan also stressed that an experimental batch of Sputnik V vaccines in the amount of 6,000 doses, produced at the Karaganda pharmaceutical plant, was sent to Russia for quality control. “Industrial production of the vaccine is scheduled to begin in January 2021,” the prime minister said.
The projected monthly production volume will be at least 300, 000 doses.
