Coronavirus lockdown measures in Moscow extended

Moscow’s Mayor Sergei Sobyanin said he has signed a decree extending the coronavirus lockdown regime in the city until May 11.

"However difficult it may be to take such a decision but today I signed a decree expending all the restrictions that are now in place in Moscow until May 11," he wrote on his blog. "Please stay at home during the May Day holidays."

According to the mayor, schoolchildren will have no classes in a period from May 1 through 11.

The mayor also announced that jobless city dwellers will be paid an additional monthly allowance of 3,000 rubles (40.5 US dollars) per each minor child. "This money will be paid in addition to the federal unemployment benefit," TASS cited Sobyanin as saying.

As for children’s summer vacations, the mayor said that the city’s authorities have suspended work on the organization of summer camps for children until July 31.

In his words, as soon as the morbidity rate slows down, the authorities will begin to ease the restrictions.

Apart from that, under the decree, beauty parlors, saunas, restaurants, cafes, canteens and other public catering outlets will stay close until May 11 but for those operating in the take-away and delivery formats. The ban on sports, entertainment and public events, as well as on mass gatherings will also stay in place until May 11. Believers are recommended to refrain from visiting churches.

The self-isolation regime in Moscow was imposed on March 29. People of all ages are to stay at home, but for cases when they need emergency medical assistance or have to continue to work. People are also allowed to leave their homes to buy food, dispose garbage or walk a pet to a distance of 100 meters from the house.