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HEALTH-VIRUS-RUSSIA
Putin lifts Russia’s coronavirus ‘non-working’ period from Tuesday
MOSCOW, May 11, 2020 (BSS/AFP) – President Vladimir Putin on Monday said
Russia’s non-working period imposed to contain the spread of the coronavirus
will be lifted from Tuesday.
“Starting from tomorrow, May 12, the national period of non-working days
will be over for all sectors of the economy,” Putin said, adding that
Russia’s regions will be able to keep in place any necessary anti-virus
measures.
The president’s announcement comes after Russia registered a record number
of daily cases Monday, with more than 11,000 people testing positive over the
last 24 hours.
Health officials have recorded a total of 221,344 coronavirus infections
and 2009 deaths.
Putin said that Russia had used the self-isolation period to prepare its
healthcare system, increasing the amount of hospital beds and saving “many
thousands of lives.”
This “allows us to begin a gradual lifting of restrictions,” he said.
“It is in the interest of all of us for the economy to return to normal
quickly.”
Construction, agriculture and energy should be restarted first, he added.
“The epidemic and associated restrictions have had a strong impact on the
economy and hurt millions of our citizens,” he said.
As people begin going back to work, mass events are still suspended and
“strict sanitation demands” must be observed, Putin said.
BSS/AFP/MRU/2043hrs