On 16 April, the chairman of Board of Azerbaijan's Management Union of Medical Territorial Units (TABIB) Ramin Bayramli announced the launching of the REACT-C19 in order to strengthen key skills related to measures of fight against COVID-19 in Azerbaijan. 

“It has been envisaged in the [project’s framework] to hold intensive training courses [on the] implementation of the sorting triage system in hospitals situated [throughout the country], prevention and taking under control of the infections, management of the cases of infection with this disease, installation of the resuscitation systems, creation and long-term maintenance of the systems necessary for personnel in the hospitals, and to create online, mobile or digital technologies in order to support the newly trained specialists at those hospitals,” he said, adding that 19 Azerbaijani doctors working in Turkey will be involved in the project. 

Another project has also been launched in the country against disposing medical masks and gloves used by individuals in public life. “Currently, disposed of medical masks are not medical waste, but just waste. Medical waste is waste used by patients who have been confirmed to be infected with the coronavirus,” Bayramli said. He added that people who recovered from coronavirus will be invited to National Hematology and Transfusion Center starting from next week and plasma would be taken from them in order to analyse the antibodies in the plasma. “If there are enough antibodies for COVID-19, we will be able to transfer them to patients [who are in] severe condition,” said Bayramli. 

Bayramli also spoke optimistically on how the Azerbaijani government handled the situation with the virus. He stated that the recovery rate is higher than in other countries and expressed his belief that in the coming weeks there would be an even greater number of recovered persons.

The issue of resuming domestic flights was also discussed amongst the Azerbaijani authorities, according to the Head of the Foreign Policy Department of the Presidential Administration Hikmet Hajiyev. “The issue of resuming flights between Nakhchivan and Baku may be considered. However, the situation regarding the quarantine regime should also be taken into account,” he said. He also added that Azerbaijani citizens wishing to return to Azerbaijan from Russia were now able to do so with an appeal within 5 days to a specially created internet portal.

The current tally of infected persons in Azerbaijan stands at 1283, with 15 reported deaths.