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Mayor says no need to tighten restrictions in Moscow, but ‘pinpoint solutions’ possible

Sergei Sobyanin has called unacceptable such anti-coronavirus measures as curfew and traffic ban
Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin Mikhail Japaridze/TASS
Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin
© Mikhail Japaridze/TASS

MOSCOW, October 19. /TASS/. Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin does not see the necessity to tighten the restrictive measures due to the coronavirus yet doesn’t exclude "pinpoint solutions."

"Many people expect that stricter limitations will be introduced. I do not see the necessity to tighten the measures although certain pinpoint solutions cannot be excluded," he wrote in his blog on Monday.

According to him, on Monday, first-to fifth-graders return to school. The risk of infection in this age group is less than the harm caused by missing school lessons.

"The mask regime in public transportation should be observed, no easing is planned here either," the mayor added.

Sobyanin has called unacceptable such anti-coronavirus measures as curfew and traffic ban.

"The extreme measures - the introduction of a curfew, a complete traffic ban in the city, a ban on entry and exit, closing of almost all enterprises, - for us these measures are absolutely unacceptable and impossible," the mayor wrote.

According to the mayor, the optimal strategy is in "finding the middle way between locking down the city and the complete rejection of restrictive measures: not to touch the basic sectors of the economy, not to deprive people of work but at the same time find the opportunity to break the chains of the spread of the coronavirus."

The mayor reiterated that about 2.1 mln people should stay at home since they belong to the category of citizens over 65 years of age. "The restrictions introduced for the chronically ill citizens - another 700,000. Upperclassmen, students of certain universities and colleges who on Monday switch to distance learning - 660,000 people. Toddlers under three years of age who do not attend kindergarten yet - 370,000 and with mothers - over 700,000," he explained.

The mayor also reiterated that over a million people switched to working remotely and approximately 1.5 mln employed have already had the coronavirus infection thus acquiring a natural immunity against the disease for some time. "As a result, we have approximately 6.5 mln people or 50% of Moscow residents who remain at home today or can go to work without risking the infection," the mayor noted.

To date, 362,253 cases of the coronavirus infection have been detected in Moscow. During this time, 275,648 patients have recovered, 6,009 people died.