Moscow will impose a 10-day lockdown from next week in an effort to curb soaring Covid-19 cases, the city’s mayor has said, as Russia endures its worst-ever phase of the pandemic.
“In the coming days, we will reach historic peaks in Covid cases,” Sergey Sobyanin wrote in his blog, before announcing strict restrictions from October 28 to November 7.
“During this period, the work of all enterprises and organizations on the territory of the city of Moscow should be suspended,” he said, before outlining a few limited exemptions.
Earlier this week the city ordered all unvaccinated residents over 60, as well as unvaccinated people “suffering from chronic diseases,” to remain home for four months until late February.
Russia’s Covid-19 crisis is deepening and its officials have started openly admitting that the country is facing a dire winter.
It reported its highest numbers of daily cases and deaths multiple times in recent days, and registered a record 1,028 official fatalities on Wednesday.
Experts blame a slow vaccination drive, an overwhelmed health care system and widespread mistrust in government for the situation.