ZCZC
BFF-07
VIRUS-RUSSIA-EASE
Moscow eases lockdown despite high virus caseload
MOSCOW, June 1, 2020 (BSS/AFP) – Shopping malls and parks are set to reopen
in Moscow on Monday as the Russian capital eases coronavirus restrictions
despite having the world’s third-largest caseload.
The relaxation of the confinement orders in Moscow, the epicentre of
Russia’s outbreak with a population of more than 12 million, comes after
President Vladimir Putin announced the epidemic had passed its peak in the
country.
Under lockdown since March 30, residents of Europe’s most populous city
were until now only allowed to leave their homes for brief trips to shop, walk
dogs or travel to essential jobs with a permit.
While Muscovites welcomed the opportunity to return to parks and malls
after weeks of being cooped up at home, many ridiculed the Moscow mayor’s
“experiment” aimed at regulating people’s walks and exercise.
As a two-week test measure, Sergei Sobyanin said residents of Moscow will
be allowed to take walks according to a staggered schedule based on their home
address.
“Regular walks are allowed between 9am and 9pm but no more than three times
a week — twice on weekdays and once on a weekend,” said Sobyanin on his blog,
adding that a detailed schedule would be released separately.
People can jog or exercise between 5am and 9am but must wear masks,
according to the new rules.
Sobyanin said he feared that without limits on walking, people would throng
the streets in scenes reminiscent of May Day outpourings in Soviet times.
– ‘Sheer lunacy’ –
The new regulations unleashed a flood of mockery on social media, with
political commentator Alexander Golts calling them “sheer lunacy”.
Critics quipped that life in Moscow was beginning to imitate dystopian
fiction such as the novels of Aldous Huxley and Yevgeny Zamyatin.
Popular comedian Maxim Galkin, who has nearly eight million followers on
Instagram, released a sketch in which Putin and Sobyanin discuss a “breathing
schedule” for Moscow residents.
The five-minute parody has been viewed nearly six million times over the
past few days.
When the restrictions are relaxed, dry-cleaners, laundry services and
repair workshops will be allowed to reopen, while restaurants, cafes and
cinemas will remain closed for now.
Moscow authorities also said that no mass gatherings would be allowed
during the city-wide quarantine that will remain in place until at least June
14.
On Thursday authorities sentenced prominent reporter and activist Ilya Azar
to 15 days in jail for staging a lone protest in central Moscow.
Dozens of his supporters have also been briefly detained over the past few
days.
Rights organisations including Amnesty International and the Council of
Europe have warned Moscow against using the coronavirus lockdown as a pretext
to muzzle activists.
Many critics have also questioned the move to lift the restrictions as
Russia reported more than 9,000 new infections on Sunday.
With more than 405,000 confirmed infections and over 4,600 deaths, the
country has the world’s third-largest caseload after the United States and
Brazil.
Analysts say Putin is keen to open up the Russian economy and has recently
ordered a World War II victory parade postponed by the contagion to be held on
June 24.
The 67-year-old leader is also widely expected to announce a new date for a
vote on constitutional reforms that could pave the way for him to potentially
stay in power until 2036.
BSS/AFP/MMA/0930HRS