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Coronavirus pandemic

Moscow plans no new COVID-related restrictions at this moment — mayor

People from these social groups that neither had COVID-19 nor taken a vaccine in the past six months, must stay at home

Moscow Mayor Sergey Sobyanin Vladimir Gerdo/TASS

Moscow Mayor Sergey Sobyanin

© Vladimir Gerdo/TASS

MOSCOW, December 20. /TASS/. Moscow is not planning to impose any new COVID-related restrictions right now, Mayor Sergey Sobyanin said Monday, while noting that the COVID situation is rather dynamic and hard to predict.

"We do not plan any additional restrictions at this moment, but everything will depend on the development of the situation. You see that the [COVID] pandemic is rather dynamic, volatile, and hard to predict," Sobyanin said in an interview.

Previously, Moscow allowed theatres and museums to increase their visitor capacity to 70%, but people are still required to wear face masks and provide vaccination QR codes to enter. On November 8, Moscow made QR codes mandatory for concerts, entertainment, cultural, sports, and other events with an expected attendance of over 500 people. Organizers of smaller events were recommended to follow the same rules.

Moscow companies are required to transfer at least 30% of employees to remote work, including employees with chronic diseases and employees aged above 60. This requirement remains in effect until February 25, 2022.

People from these social groups that neither had COVID-19 nor taken a vaccine in the past six months, must stay at home. This requirement does not include visiting clinics, buying groceries, walking pets or disposing of garbage. People are also allowed to take walks or do sports outside.

Moscow suspended free and discounted public transport rides for people in at-risk categories. People who either had COVID-19 or received a vaccine within the last six months were not subjected to transport restrictions. People who take the first vaccine component or Covid patients who have recovered have their transport restrictions removed immediately.

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