With new corona highs in Russia, a partial lockdown to contain the pandemic has begun in the capital Moscow. Only supermarkets and pharmacies have been open since Thursday. Schools, cinemas, shopping centers and gyms must remain closed until at least November 7th. Restaurants and cafes are only allowed to offer take-away food and drinks. 40,000 new infections were officially reported on Thursday.
Nationwide, non-working days should apply from this Saturday on. President Vladimir Putin had decreed that the wages would continue to be paid during this time. This mainly applies to the public service only. The media recently reported that masses of Russians wanted to fly abroad on vacation, for example to Egypt.
According to official statistics from Thursday, more than 40,000 new infections were registered nationwide within 24 hours – more than ever since the beginning of the pandemic in spring 2020. The number of corona deaths per day also reached a new high of 1,160.
According to official figures, only a third of the 146 million people in Russia are fully vaccinated. Kremlin spokesman Dmitri Peskov said that no decision had yet been made whether there would be a nationwide compulsory vaccination. “Let’s see how the situation develops.” So far, in some regions there has been an obligation for certain professions to be immunized. Just last week, Putin spoke out against compulsory vaccination.
It was unclear whether the days off would be extended. Putin had not ruled out this possibility. Whether in the future QR codes will be necessary as digital proof of a corona vaccination or survived illness for the use of local public transport, for example, is up to the decision of the regions, said Peskow.