Zimpapers Logo

MOSCOW. – Russia yesterday proposed to shut workplaces for a week at the start of November as its daily COVID-19 death toll hit a new record and a sharp rise in cases continued, leading to fresh calls from the Kremlin for people to get vaccinated.

Russia’s Covid-19 task force reported 1,015 coronavirus-related deaths in the past 24 hours, the highest single-day toll since the start of the pandemic, as well as 33 740 new infections, just shy of a record daily rise, with authorities blaming the surge on a slow vaccination campaign.

Deputy Prime Minister Tatyana Golikova proposed that October 30 to November 7 be deemed non-working days to combat rising infections. Russia has taken similar steps at previous times during the pandemic, notably for around a month when it first struck in March last year.

Speaking at a government coronavirus meeting, Golikova said people should have to present QR codes on their mobile phones to show they were vaccinated or had recovered from Covid-19, in order to get access to some public events or places. – Reuters