Russia: Government imposes additional COVID-19 restrictions October 27 /update 47

Event

Russia's federal government ordered local authorities to enforce the mandatory use of face masks in some public places on Tuesday, October 27, following a surge in coronavirus disease (COVID-19) cases in the country. Under the new nationwide measures, people will be required to wear face masks in parking structures, lifts, and taxis, as well as on public transport. The mask requirements were already in place in some cities, including Moscow, but had not previously been introduced in many other areas of the country.

In addition to the mandatory mask rules, the government also requested that local authorities impose a 23:00 (local time) closure time for bars and restaurants. It is unclear how many towns and cities will implement the opening time restrictions, but some local sources stated that the measure had in fact been ordered by federal authorities rather than recommended.

Although Russia has seen a significant increase in COVID-19 infection rates over the last month, with more than 16,000 new cases per day being recorded over the last week, the government has stated that it will not reintroduce total lockdowns and will instead focus on measures implemented at the local level.

As of October 27, there have been 1,537,142 confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Russia and 26,409 associated deaths. Further international spread of the virus is to be expected in the near term.

Context

The first case of COVID-19 was reported on December 31 and the source of the outbreak has been linked to a wet market in Wuhan (Hubei province, China). Since then, human-to-human transmission of the virus has been confirmed.

Cases of the virus have been confirmed in numerous countries and territories worldwide. On March 11, the World Health Organization (WHO) declared the global outbreak a pandemic. Virus-screening and quarantining measures are being implemented at airports worldwide, as well as extensive travel restrictions.

The most common symptoms of COVID-19 are fever, dry cough, and tiredness. Some patients may experience other symptoms such as body pains, nasal congestion, headache, conjunctivitis, sore throat, diarrhea, loss of taste or smell or a rash on skin or discoloration of fingers or toes. These symptoms (in most cases mild) appear gradually. Generally, most patients (around 80 percent) recover from the disease without being hospitalized.

Advice

Measures adopted by local authorities evolve quickly and are usually effective immediately. Depending on the evolution of the outbreak in other countries, authorities are likely to modify, at very short notice, the list of countries whose travelers are subject to border control measures or entry restrictions upon their arrival to the territory in question. It is advised to postpone nonessential travel due to the risk that travelers may be refused entry or be subject to quarantine upon their arrival or during their stay.

To reduce the risk of COVID-19 transmission, travelers are advised to abide by the following measures:

• Frequently clean hands by applying an alcohol-based hand rub or washing with soap and water.
• When coughing and sneezing, cover mouth and nose with a flexed elbow or tissue; if used, throw the tissue away immediately and wash hands.
• If experiencing a fever, cough, difficulty breathing, or any other symptoms suggestive of respiratory illness, including pneumonia, call emergency services before going to the doctor or hospital to prevent the potential spread of the virus.