MOSCOW, June 8. /TASS/. Moscow’s authorities have decided to rescind self-isolation rules, travel permits and walking schedules starting on June 9, Mayor Sergei Sobyanin wrote on his blog on Monday.
"Self-isolation rules and travel permits will be waived tomorrow, on June 9, 2020. There will also be no more walking schedules," he said.
All Moscow residents, including those over the age of 65 and people with chronic illnesses, will be able to freely travel around the city and visit public places.
Hairdressing salons, veterinary clinics and personnel recruitment agencies are to reopen. The same applies to the offices of non-governmental organizations and cemeteries. Restrictions will be lifted from car sharing services. Film and sound recording studios and research centers will resume normal operation. Theaters, concert halls and circuses will be able to conduct rehearsals.
In a week’s time, starting from June 16, dentist clinics, companies in the real estate segment, leasing, law, accounting, consulting, advertising and market research will get back to normal activity. It will be possible to hold sports competitions on the condition that the seat occupancy rate will be no greater than 10%.
Summer cafes, libraries, museums, exhibition halls and zoos will be able to reopen provided they observe restrictions on the number of visitors at a time.
During the third phase, starting on June 23, gyms, fitness clubs and swimming pools will be allowed to open alongside restaurants, cafes, canteens, bars, and other public catering outlets, spa salons, sunrooms, steam baths and saunas.
"All reopening organizations will be obliged to comply with the requirements of supervisory authorities and the consumer rights watchdog. The decision concerning the remaining restrictions will be taken later," the news release says.
‘Self-protection’ rules
Moscow residents will have to keep the ‘self-protection’ rules after the lifting of coronavirus-related restrictions, Sobyanin wrote on his blog on Monday, warning that the risk of being infected remains and the battle against the novel coronavirus has not ended in the city.
"Each of us still has to abide by the self-protection rules, and care for the people around us. Meanwhile the enterprises that have reopened must strictly abide by the requirements of the sanitary services," the mayor stressed.
Earlier, Sobyanin specified that these rules implied compulsory facemasks and the social distancing of one-and-a-half meter.
Possible changes
Dates for lifting the coronavirus lockdowns in Moscow may be subject to changes depending on the epidemiological situation in the city, as follows from the mayor’s decree released on Monday. "Dates for lifting the restrictions may be changed depending on the current epidemiological situation," the document reads.
The number of confirmed coronavirus cases in Russia’s hardest hit area, Moscow, grew by 2,001 in the past 24 hours, to 197,018 people overall. The daily growth rate has been hovering at around 1% in the past week. As many as 1,633 patients recovered in the past 24 hours, bringing the overall number of recoveries to 104,347. Fifty-one patients died, which is the lowest figure in the past two weeks. Overall, 2,970 people have died in Moscow, or 1.51% of all cases.
Moscow declared a high alert over the coronavirus on March 29. All residents were told to self-isolate, while numerous shops, eating establishments, parks, gyms and other facilities were closed. However, the city’s authorities have recently begun to ease restrictions as the coronavirus situation is improving. On May 12, construction businesses were allowed to reopen. The second phase of easing restrictions began on June 1, when some public services reopened and people were allowed out for walks based on a rotation system. However, wearing of protective masks and gloves in public remains mandatory.