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Coronavirus pandemic

Putin agrees to make May holidays non-working days

The move is taken in an attempt to make the epidemiological prognosis more stable

© Mikhail Tereshchenko/TASS

MOSCOW, April 23. /TASS/. Russian President Vladimir Putin has endorsed the proposition of Anna Popova, who heads the Federal Service for Surveillance on Consumer Rights Protection and Human Wellbeing, to make the May holidays non-working days.

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Popova approached the head of state with this proposition during a meeting Friday. She disclosed that this move was made after consultations with Deputy Prime Minister Tatiana Golikova, and with scientists and medics.

"If such a move [making the days throughout the May holidays non-working - TASS] could be made, it would make the epidemiological prognosis more stable. <…> In the epidemiological sense, this would be a very significant decision to make the current epidemiological stage more stable. I implore you to support us," she requested.

"If you believe that this is necessary - alright then, so be it. We will sign the corresponding order today," Putin said.

Addressing the watchdog head, Putin stressed that he had urged his colleagues, both at the federal and regional levels, to heed the opinion of specialists, virologists, and those who are not only professionally well-versed in these matters, but who are personally fighting the infection and who have gained in-depth and well-rounded information.

Meanwhile, the decision to make the days between the May holidays non-working does not imply introducing a new lockdown, Kremlin Spokesman Dmitry Peskov said.

"No, we are not talking about a lockdown," he assured, answering a question from TASS on whether the presidential order would limit the operation of bars, restaurants, museums and other public places for this period.

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