From the MT:
“What You Need to Know About
Moscow’s ‘Non-Working’ Week”
Starting Thursday, thousands of
Muscovites will be ordered to stay home following a national “non-working”
decree aimed at halting soaring coronavirus cases and record deaths. From Oct. 28-Nov. 7, only essential workers in
the Russian capital, a city of 12 million, will be permitted to go to work in
person. The Moscow Times answers some of
the most common questions regarding the upcoming “non-working” week:
What does ‘non-working’ mean? Russia’s “non-working” periods are
effectively a paid vacation for non-essential workers. The restrictions
suspend all businesses and services, dining, sports, recreation, entertainment
and film screenings, with the exception of organizations that serve city
infrastructure and sell essential goods like medicines and food. While
President Vladimir Putin has said that all employee salaries should be paid,
government support for small and medium-sized businesses to cover salaries is
limited to subsidized loans equal to the minimum wage — 12,792 rubles ($180)
per month. Unlike national
holidays and weekends, “non-working days” are not legally defined in the
Russian Labor Code. The term was introduced for the first time last spring as
authorities sought to stem the rising tide of the Covid-19 pandemic.
Who gets time off? All employees working for non-essential
businesses will get time off during this period. Private businesses will
decide whether to give their employees paid time off or switch them to remote
work, with many expected to allow employees to work remotely. Online
shopping and deliveries are not affected by the restrictions. Government
services will still be available online, with in-person public services
suspended.
What about students? Schoolchildren in kindergarten and primary
school will be on holiday, with extracurricular and sporting activities
suspended. Preschoolers whose parents or guardians are unable to stay home with
them will be able to spend the day at city kindergartens.
High schools, colleges and
universities will hold classes exclusively remotely.
What about restaurants? Restaurants and cafes in Moscow will stay
open for delivery and take-out only. Office and workplace canteens and hotel
restaurants are allowed to operate with restricted access. On Monday,
President Vladimir Putin signed a decree instructing regional leaders to ban
restaurants, nightclubs and other entertainment venues from operating between
11:00 p.m. and 6:00 a.m. This
summer, Moscow officials briefly imposed rules requiring all restaurant diners
to prove their vaccination or recent recovery from Covid-19, but the rules were
quickly reversed as they hit the restaurant industry hard.
What about wearing masks? Moscow continues to require masks to be
worn inside public transport, taxis, stores and other public spaces. Moreover, city authorities will use
facial-recognition technology to monitor compliance with restrictions in
supermarkets, restaurants and elsewhere, with fines of up to 5,000 rubles ($71)
for violations inside the metro and 4,000 rubles ($57) in shops.
Can I go to theaters and
museums? Yes, theaters and museums
are allowed to stay open at 50% attendance capacity for visitors with masks and
QR codes proving vaccination, recent negative PCR test or antibody test
results. Mass events, except those authorized by health officials, will be
banned.
Do I need a QR code? An official QR code proving vaccination in
the past six months, recent negative PCR test results or antibody test results
will be required to enter theaters, museums and other public spaces.
Can I go for a walk? Yes.
What restrictions will stay in
place after Nov. 7? Following the
non-working period, QR codes and masks will be mandatory for entering theaters
and museums, as well as for concerts, entertainment, cultural and sporting
events with 500 people or more in attendance, the Moscow decree said. Capacity
at these events will be capped at 70%.
^ This isn't just happening in
and around Moscow, but in many other parts of Russia. Sadly, only 1 in 3
Russians are vaccinated and the vast majority of those with the internationally
un-verified Sputnik Vaccine (which can’t be used to travel outside of Russia
with.) ^
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