Lockdown à la Tatarstan: non-working days until situation improves, new restrictions, and QR codes

Until the situation improves

Tatarstan authorities, who last week refused to introduce a regime of non-working days earlier than October 30, decided not to limit this period to the November 7 established at the federal level — non-working days in Tatarstan will last until the epidemiological situation improves. Such announcement was made on 28 October by the republican operational headquarters.

There will be no curfews, but the operation of some facilities at night will be restricted. From 11 pm to 6 am, you will not have an opportunity to go to the store or cafe. The schedule of public transport for the period of non-working days will not change.

The regime of non-working days will not affect continuous cycle enterprises and the organisations that ensure the vital activity of Tatarstan — they will continue to work after October 30. In particular, educational institutions of the republic will continue to operate.

Leila Fazleeva: “Today nature teaches us to take care of each other. This is the moment, probably, we need to really understand everything with you”

Among the restrictions that were not previously in force in Tatarstan, the deputy prime minister of the Republic of Tatarstan, head of the republican operation centre for combating COVID-19, Leyla Fazleeva, announced the following:

• Mandatory self-isolation for citizens over the age of 60 who have not been vaccinated against COVID-19 or have not had coronavirus in the last six months.
• Requirement for persons over the age of 18 to provide QR codes for the provision of catering services, with the exception of takeaway or delivery services; for entering and staying in shopping centres, retail facilities of non-food products with an area over 150 square metres.
• Ban on holding all entertainment events, including for children, as well as on holding other mass events with the participation of citizens.
• Ban on the provision of catering services from 11 pm to 6 am. The exception is bus stations and airports, road points outside settlements.
• Ban on the operation of all stores at night. Exception is pharmacies and gas stations.
• Ban on the operation of entertainment complexes in shopping malls and fairs, with the exception of retail in open areas.
• Ban on the operation of all stores at night.
• Ban on minors being in the shopping centre unaccompanied by parents or representatives.

“Today nature teaches us to take care of each other. We take care of each other in this way. This is the moment, probably, we need to really understand everything with you," Fazleeva said, commenting on the current situation.

“This is all that we can refuse for the period of epidemiological distress”

Marina Patyashina: “This is all that we can abandon for the period of epidemiological distress”

Marina Patyashina, the head of the Department of Rospotrebnadzor for the Republic of Tatarstan, specified the provisions. She drew attention to that earlier the requirement for self-isolation extended to persons over 65 years old and recalled that Tatarstan citizens aged 60+ are subject to mandatory vaccination against coronavirus.

“This is all that we can refuse with you for the period of epidemiological distress," Patyashina explained the list of objects that are closed or restricted in operation. “I repeat, this is for the period of epidemiological distress, not for the next one or two weeks, although we all really want this period to end.

The chief sanitary doctor of the Republic of Tatarstan announced that her department was suspending previously issued 72 permits for night work of catering establishments — they were issued to those who have vaccinated more than 80% of employees. According to her, Tatarstan citizens can do without their work, as well as without the work of entertainment institutions.

Patyashina reiterated that the situation with coronavirus in Tatarstan is being tense — over the past week, the incidence has increased by 27% at once. A total of 30,233 cases of COVID-19 have been registered in the republic to date.

“To manage mortality, it is necessary to manage morbidity”

Marat Sadykov: “To manage mortality, it is necessary to manage morbidity”

Tatarstan Minister of Healthcare Marat Sadykov also took the floor. He said that to date, 7,500 beds have been deployed in Tatarstan for patients with coronavirus. Of these, only 9,5% remain free.

“To manage mortality, it is necessary to manage morbidity," said the head of the Tatarstan ministry of healthcare. According to him, there are only two ways to improve the situation — restrictions and vaccination.

By the way, vaccination against coronavirus will not stop for the period of non-working days in Tatarstan — residents of the republic can be vaccinated at 170 vaccination points. So far, 61,4% of the plan has been vaccinated in the republic, Sadykov said.

According to the latest data, 1,497,684 people have been vaccinated in Tatarstan, of which 1,019,541 completed the vaccination course, that is, got the second vaccination. 25,654 people have been re-vaccinated.

Patyashina again added that vaccination coverage has fallen in Tatarstan. But this is typical for the whole of Russia, she said.

Tatarstan is offering business a loan under 1%

Rustem Sibgatullin: “We have additionally decided to support business categories that are not covered by federal support measures”

The authorities also touched on a painful issue for business in the coronacrisis — support measures. First Deputy Minister of Economy of Tatarstan — Director of the Department of Entrepreneurship and Competition Development Rustem Sibgatullin announced assistance from the republican authorities for industries not covered by federal support measures.

“We have additionally decided to support business categories that are not covered by federal support measures, which have also suffered from the introduction of restrictive measures. This is mainly trade, from which we are recording most of the appeals," Sibgatullin said.

Tatarstan authorities are offering them a loan at 1% per annum. Sibgatullin reminded that this support measure demonstrated its relevance last year. Tatarstan businessmen can apply from November 1 to December 31.

“Then we will monitor the situation based on the sanitary and epidemiological situation and will consider the issue of extending the acceptance of applications," Sibgatullin added.

QR codes will be in effect everywhere from November 15

They will strengthen control over compliance with restrictive measures on non-working days. Law enforcement agencies also intend to monitor the operation of the QR code system, which, by the way, will be required everywhere in Tatarstan from November 15. The residents of the republic will not be able to get to theatres, cinemas, circus, concert halls, as well as to official sports and cultural events without them from the middle of next month.

Tatarstan citizens will not be allowed into cafes, restaurants and canteens without QR codes. They will not be needed when buying takeaway food, serving at airports, train stations or at banquets. The QR code must be presented at the entrance to a shopping centre, non-food stores with an area of 150 square metres, swimming pools and fitness centres.

Aleksey Sokolov: “Today, an important area in our work is the identification and suppression of the facts of the manufacture, sale and use of fake vaccination certificates, QR codes”

Deputy Minister of Internal Affairs for Tatarstan — Chief of Police Aleksey Sokolov warned residents of the republic that responsibility is threatened for forging QR codes. From October 30, the agency will begin mass inspections to identify such facts.

“Today, an important area in our work is the identification and suppression of the facts of the manufacture, sale and use of fake vaccination certificates, QR codes. To date, 41 crimes have been identified in this category, qualified as fraud, petty bribery, forgery, acquisition, storage, transportation of a forged document," Sokolov said.

He added that the number of offers for the sale of vaccination certificates on social networks and messengers has increased significantly. According to him, this is done by scammers, who sometimes just take money but do not provide a “service”.