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Head of the Main Department of the State Food Safety and Consumer Protection Service in Kyiv City, Oleh Ruban, says the coronavirus-related adaptive quarantine in the capital city may be extended for another year and a half, until herd immunity to COVID-19 is emerged.

Read alsoSeven Ukrainian regions not ready for quarantine easing – health ministry

"They may extend it, and not only in Kyiv, but also worldwide. Epidemically confirmed data say that each pathogen formed in the world circulates to its leveling, i.e. to its destruction, that is a year and a half. Restrictive protection measures may continue throughout this period," he told the RBC Ukraine news agency on July 14.

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According to Ruban, 80% of the population needs to be infected with the coronavirus to end the pandemic. Moreover, the vaccine is not expected to be developed in the near future, he added.

"In terms of epidemic, this disease will last for another three seasons, like the pandemic flu continued – in fact, to the formation of herd immunity at 50-70%. Three seasons is just a year and a half," he said.

The expert believes that during this time, Ukrainians will suffer the infection like a common cold.

On June 17, the Cabinet of Ministers extended the adaptive quarantine in Ukraine until July 31 over an increase in the number of confirmed COVID-19 cases. The adaptive quarantine means that the regions are allowed to ease or step up the respective restrictions depending on the local epidemiological situation.

Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal said then that wearing face masks in public places would remain obligatory. As before, the number of passengers on public transport should not exceed the number of seats.

Ukraine's government will consider a decision next week to extend the coronavirus-related quarantine for another month, the RBC Ukraine news agency reported on July 14, referring to its source.

As UNIAN reported earlier, 638 new cases of the novel coronavirus COVID-19 were reported in Ukraine in the past day, bringing the total number of confirmed cases to 54,771 as of the morning of July 14.