(Saint Petersburg) Russia’s second city, Saint Petersburg, announced on Monday the gradual implementation of the health passport in the face of the rise in new coronavirus contaminations, the epidemic being booming in the country against a background of vaccination sluggish and limited restrictions.
Thus, from 1er November QR codes will be needed in St. Petersburg to access sporting or cultural events bringing together more than 40 people, the deputy governor of this former Russian imperial capital, Boris Piotrovsky, wrote on Telegram on Monday.
QR codes are issued to people who have received both doses of the COVID-19 vaccine or to those who have performed a negative PCR test within 72 hours.
From November 15, this measure will be extended to swimming pools, gyms, theaters, cinemas, museums and circuses, and from 1er December to restaurants and shops in St. Petersburg.
An exception will be made for cafes in train stations and airports, as well as for pharmacies and food stores.
Telework in all companies
The authorities have also recommended all employers in St. Petersburg to set up telework from 1er November.
Russia on Monday recorded a record of coronavirus contamination in the past 24 hours for the fifth day in a row.
According to the official government count, 34,325 contaminations were recorded in 24 hours, a record since the start of the pandemic, and 998 deaths.
On Saturday, the country passed the symbolic threshold of one thousand daily deaths due to COVID-19 for the first time with 1,002 deaths. Russia is the country hardest hit in Europe by the coronavirus.
This outbreak comes when only 32% of Russians are fully vaccinated, according to official data, against the backdrop of public mistrust of vaccines.
The virus is also spreading as government health restrictions are very limited, although several regions have reintroduced the requirement to present QR codes to access public places.
The Kremlin, anxious to preserve the economy, has refused any containment on a national scale.
Since the start of the pandemic, the government has officially recorded 224,310 deaths, the highest figure in Europe. The Rosstat statistics institute, which has a broader definition of coronavirus-related deaths, reports more than 400,000 deaths.