“Ukraine took a right step” – Zelenskyi held a meeting on results of weekend quarantine

The citizens' activity in large cities with a population of over 100 thousand decreased by 18.5% on Saturday because of weekend quarantine, and on Sunday, by 27%.

The Secretary of the National Security and Defense Council of Ukraine Oleksii Danilov announced these data at a meeting with President Volodymyr Zelenskyi.

Denys Shmyhal and Arsen Avakov noted that over the weekend, almost all major chains of shopping malls, non-food stores, entertainment facilities were closed, and the police worked to prevent crowds. Difficult situations have arisen with food markets in some areas.

"I think Ukraine has taken the right step. The World Health Organization reports that they record the highest number of new infections on weekends. Reducing people-to-people contacts means saving lives. Meanwhile, it's necessary to restore and improve all programs of economic assistance to entrepreneurs, workers who have lost their jobs, alone people," Zelenskyi stressed.

Shmyhal said that the government is already implementing and preparing additional measures to support businesses and people who have lost part of their income because of weekend quarantine.

"In particular, we are resuming support for small businesses with children, a partial unemployment program, which compensates part of the worker's salary. A "credit holiday" will work for businesses under the "5-7-9″ program; we will recognize weekend quarantine force majeure, which will help businesses in renting and fulfilling other obligations," the Prime Minister said.

He also said that he had already held several meetings with businesses restricted in their work because of weekend quarantine. In the coming days, they will reinforce such work and hold meetings with representatives of each industry.

The government is also actively working to improve health insurance programs. In particular, Minister for Communities and Territories Development, Oleksii Chernyshov, reminded that a medical worker fighting COVID-19 is equated to a serviceperson. Now, besides benefits in case of incapacity for work or death, sickness assistance programs are being developed in different regions.

Yermak's deputy Kyrylo Tymoshenko added that after the president's order to work out this issue carefully, the development of insurance programs increased, and some regions have already insured 60-70% of doctors, including Kharkiv, Zhytomyr, Chernivtsi, Volyn, and others.

To recap, the weekend quarantine operates in Ukraine, having several prohibitions.

A comprehensive list of mayors refused to comply with government decisions.

People protested against the weekend quarantine in Chernivtsi, Rivne, Severodonetsk, Zhytomyr, and Kyiv.