Russian President Vladimir Putin has implemented a national mask mandate amid a huge spike in coronavirus cases.
The NYT reports: “The federal health watchdog agency, Rospotrebnadzor, also urged the governors of Russia's 85 regions to order restaurants and entertainment venues to close by 11 p.m. Masks must be worn, in taxis, public transportation, elevators and parking garages, and in any place where more than 50 people are able to gather, according to the order published on the watchdog's website. Officials offered no immediate details on how the order would be enforced. The directive was unusual because President Vladimir V. Putin has resisted taking any nationwide measures to stop the virus's spread in recent months, delegating the battle to regional leaders.”
The Moscow Times reports: “The new nationwide rules come amid widespread reports of hospital bed, medication and staff shortages across the country during the second wave of the Covid-19 pandemic. Russia pushed past the 1.5 million mark for Covid-19 infections over the weekend and set a daily record of 17,347 new cases Monday. The Kremlin noted Monday that the second wave of the Covid-19 outbreak has shifted from Moscow, which continues to see around one-third of all new infections, to the regions.”
