Russian President Vladimir Putin on Tuesday extended the national “non-working” month until May 11, warning that the country had yet to see a peak in the number of cases.
“We are now nearing a new, perhaps the most intense stage in the fight against the pandemic,” Putin said, addressing the heads of Russia’s 85 regions via video-conference.
Russia has the eighth-most COVID-19 cases in the world with 93,558 cases as of Tuesday. The country added a record 6,411 new cases on Tuesday and 72 deaths.
In late March, Putin had announced a nationwide paid non-working week, which was later extended until the end of April. At the time, Putin said that employees would continue to receive pay during this period. Strict quarantine measures including stay-at-home orders were later announced by most federal subjects in Russia.
Putin on Tuesday warned that the country had yet to see the peak of the outbreak, which had claimed 867 lives so far, and ordered the government to prepare a plan to gradually lift the virus restrictions from May 12, saying that easing of lockdown measures would not happen all at once.
In Moscow, the country’s virus epicentre, the lockdown was extended until May 13, Govorit Moskva radio reported, citing an order from the city’s mayor.
The end of the lockdown coincides with a series of long weekends, due to national holidays like May Day and World War II Victory Day on May 9. Fears that Russians may use the weekends to step out have been compounded by market data showing a surge in orders for picnic equipment. Russian search engine Yandex has also released data showing that Russians have been adhering less to lockdown requirements.
Moscow residents now need digital passes to step out, a move that could be introduced in at least 20 other states that have similar plans.
Putin’s administration had spent $40 billion in emergency relief related to the COVID-19 pandemic in the country.
