Moscow prepares for shutdown as Covid cases soar

Moscow, Oct 21 (EFE).- Moscow authorities on Thursday announced a shutdown of non-essential businesses starting later this month, during which time workers will be put on a ‘vacation’ in a bid to bring down soaring Covid-19 infection and death rates.

Mayor of the Russian capital Sergey Sobyanin said that restaurants, bars and other non-essential services would be closed up from 28 October to 7 November, an announcement that came a day after president Vladimir Putin decreed similar restrictions nationwide.

“Work will stop in businesses and organizations related to commerce, services, gastronomy, sport, culture, leisure, cinemas and others,” the mayor said.

Theaters and museums will continue to operate at 50% capacity but visitors will need to show a vaccine pass to enter.

In recent days Russia has reported new records in the number of Covid-19 infections and deaths.

National health authorities on Thursday documented 36,339 new cases and 1,036 deaths in the previous 24 hours.

In Moscow the number of daily infections is rising towards its previous record of over 9,000 in June this year.

“The situation in Moscow is developing according to the worst-case scenario,” the mayor said.

“In the coming days we will surpass the historic records of Covid-19 infections,” he added.

There were some 7,897 new cases in the capital in the last 24 hours, according to official data. EFE