Since June 15, vaccination against coronavirus has become mandatory for some groups of citizens in Moscow. The example of the metropolitan authorities was followed by the authorities of more than a dozen other regions of Russia. This comes amid low rates of vaccination and the third wave of the pandemic. More and more stringent measures are introduced almost every day by the mayor’s office of the capital of the Russian Federation. In the coming days, the new rules for visiting restaurants may turn into huge queues at medical laboratories, and most Muscovites will not be able to get into cafes. See > for details.
Moscow lags behind European capitals
By June 22, Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin reported that the number of people who received at least the first component of the COVID-19 vaccine exceeded 2 million people in the city. He considers such indicators to be very low. Against the background of European capitals, Moscow shows the worst results in terms of vaccination. To increase the pace, on June 15, the chief sanitary doctor of the capital of the Russian Federation issued a decree on compulsory vaccination of 60% of workers in trade and entertainment, transport, education, healthcare and many others. In other regions, the authorities ordered up to 80% of employees to be vaccinated.
2 million people received at least the first component of the COVID-19 vaccine in Moscow
According to the plan of the head of the Moscow branch of Rospotrebnadzor, employees of the spheres listed in the decree should receive the first component of the vaccine by July 15, the second – by August 15. Later, Deputy Mayor Anastasia Rakova explained that 40% of unvaccinated employees may include workers with medical contraindications who have had coronavirus (according to the latest data, only the disease in the last six months is taken into account) and who simply doubt the need for vaccinations.
Service workers dutifully vaccinated
As the head teacher of one of the private educational institutions in Moscow told >, its leaders faced difficulties trying to induce subordinates to be vaccinated. “I need to convince at least two more secretaries to fulfill the quota of 60% of vaccinated, – says the interlocutor. – They are not sure about the quality of the vaccine and the lack of its effect on the female body.”
“All officially employed, we put before the fact that they need to be vaccinated, – told > manager of one network of beauty salons. – If you do not agree – threatened with suspension.” The director of the marketing department of the Vasilchuk brothers holding (“Chaikhona No. 1”, Obed Bufet and other establishments), for their part, claims that their employees are “loyal” to the need to get vaccinated.
The number of people infected with coronavirus in Russia is growing again
If workers in the above areas refuse to be vaccinated, then they can be suspended from work without pay. Labor and Social Protection Minister Anton Kotyakov informed Russian employers about the legality of such a measure during the period of mandatory vaccination, referring, in particular, to Article 5 of the Law “On Immunization of Infectious Diseases”.
Meanwhile, starting June 28, by order of Sergei Sobyanin, all restaurants and cafes in Moscow will become covid-free zones. Only persons with a QR code of a vaccination certificate, a negative PCR test (valid for 3 days) or a certificate of a coronavirus infection transferred in the last six months will be allowed there. In experimental mode, such covid-free establishments have already started working on June 21. Hundreds of catering outlets agreed to go to it. As an incentive, officials allowed them to work at night.
COVID-free restaurants
Currently, QR codes appear (along with an electronic certificate of vaccination) in the personal account of the State Services website for Russians who received the second vaccination. This means that the overwhelming majority of Muscovites, even vaccinated with one component of the vaccine, will not be able to visit cafes and restaurants without proper documents next week. Getting a negative PCR test result is also not an easy task. Test results from most laboratories usually have to wait from one day. In addition, for taking a smear, you have to pay from 1.5 thousand rubles.
If the rules continue to operate in this form, then difficulties may arise for foreigners living in Russia. Even after being vaccinated with the second dose, they cannot receive a QR code, since they do not have an account on the State Service website. The mayor’s office clarified that “guests of the capital from abroad” will have to present a negative PCR test to enter the restaurant.
Vaccination or dismissal
This strategy of the authorities is aimed at ensuring that the Russians themselves go to the vaccination points. At the same time, officials and heads of state institutions often act in the form of an ultimatum. For example, in the social network VKontakte, a video is now being actively distributed in which the history teacher of the Bryansk Construction and Technology College, Andrei Bardukov, complains to the acting governor about the threat of dismissal if he does not agree to be vaccinated. Colleagues-teachers supported Bardukov with applause when he said that in this way the administration of the educational institution “blackmails” many employees.
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