Russians to be able to stop wearing medical masks in 2021?

Russians will be able to stop wearing medical masks at public places this year, if they continue to observe coronavirus pandemic-related preventive measures, the deputy chief for clinical and epidemiological work of the consumer rights watchdog Rospotrebnadzor’s Central Research Institute of Epidemiology, Natalya Pshenichnaya, said.

"There is no place for laxity. All preventive measures taken against COVID-19 must be observed. In that case we will have good prospects for cancelling the mandatory wearing of masks. Largely it depends on ourselves," TASS cited her as saying.

Pshenichaya speculated that the epidemic would die down when 60%-70% of the population had immunity against the coronavirus.

Earlier, presidential spokesman Dmitry Peskov said it might be possible to cancel the mandatory wearing of masks in August.