A servicemember disinfecting a statue in Moscow on June 11. Photo: Natalia Kolesnikova/AFP via Getty Images
Moscow's mayor ordered some workplaces to take a week off and imposed new restrictions on many other businesses on Saturday to help curb a surge in new coronavirus cases, AP reports.
Why it matters: The city reported 6,701 new COVID-19 cases on Saturday, and new cases nationally have more than doubled over the past week.
Details: Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin ordered businesses that do not normally work on weekends to remain closed for next week and closed food courts and some children’s play areas for a week starting Sunday.
- The city also said it would increase its enforcement of mask- and glove-wearing on public transit, in stores and in other public places, according to AP.
The big picture: Though Russia was one of the first countries to develop and offer a coronavirus vaccine, many Russians have been reluctant to get vaccinated.
- President Vladimir Putin said Saturday that only 18 million Russians — around 12% of the population — have been vaccinated, according to AP.
- In total, Russia has reported 5.1 million coronavirus cases and 123,961 deaths from the virus, according to Johns Hopkins University data.