New lockdown may be introduced from January 8 to 24 – Mass media

The Cabinet is preparing to introduce a full lockdown from January 8 to 24 to suppress the spread of coronavirus and seasonal flu and SARS.

Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal said this in an interview with Ukrainska Pravda. The UP sources in the government also report.

Shmyhal: "I announce that these measures will be generally similar to those that were during the weekend quarantine. Of course, some will be a little tougher, some a little softer. We will consider the features and knowledge that we have already received during these six days of quarantine. We will consider the peculiarities of a winter vacation period, and also we will try to combine the opportunities provided by winter holidays with the need of breaking the epidemiological chain."

According to Shmyhal, strict quarantine should last from 15 to 21 days to break the chain in the spread of coronavirus.

Preliminarily, it is planned to begin in the period from 2 to 10 January.

Meanwhile, it is reported that the Cabinet of Ministers is preparing to introduce a lockdown from January 8 to 24. As of 10:15 a.m., a ministerial meeting is being held on this issue.

According to the draft resolution, which is available to LB.ua, lockdown will be introduced next year, from 8 to 25 January.

"Discussions are underway. The decision will be made in the afternoon," a government official told LB.ua.

Another source familiar with the situation confirmed the information. "Everything is correct, the discussion is open. Today we will decide for sure," the source said.

According to the proposals, the quarantine, introduced until the end of the year, will last until February 28, 2021.

During the lockdown from January 8 to January 25, they forbid:

• Attendance at educational institutions other than pre-school education and special institutions.
• Work of cafes, bars, restaurants, except for takeaway and delivery and catering establishments at airports. Hotels are closed from 11 p.m. to 6 a.m. the next day, except for catering in the hotel room on request.
• Reception of visitors in shopping and entertainment centers, except for the purchase of necessities.
• Reception of visitors in entertaining establishments. The work of beauty salons, cultural institutions, fitness gyms, swimming pools, all mass events, except for official sports, is prohibited.
• Reception of visitors to cultural institutions and holding cultural events, except for the work of historical and cultural reserves, business entities associated with the production of audiovisual works, including filming, subject to the restriction of access to the shooting site (set) of outsiders and use respirators or protective masks, including self-made ones, by personnel (other than actors during the filming process) involved in the production of the audiovisual work. Business activities related to the production of audiovisual works are not a mass event.
• Carrying out of all mass (entertaining, sports, social, advertising and other, including New Year's) events, except carrying out of the official sports events included in the Unified calendar plan of physical culture and sports events of Ukraine, and sports events of team game sports of professional sports clubs without spectators, provided that the participants of such events comply with sanitary and anti-epidemic measures
• Activities of food and non-food markets.

Essential goods and services:

• goods related to food, medicines, medical devices, hygiene products, means of communication, veterinary drugs, feed
• fuel
• carrying out activities for providing financial services, the activities of financial institutions and activities for collecting and transporting currency values, activities of postal operators, and medical practice, veterinary practice, gas stations (without food zones), maintenance and repair of transport tools, hairdressers and beauty salons by appointment.

Trade activity with other groups of goods can take place by implementing targeted delivery of orders.

From January 11 to January 21, it is recommended to work remotely if possible. The draft resolution doesn't mention the restriction of public transport. It is expected that there will be existing bans on the number of people more than the number of seats.

The decree also extends the current quarantine, imposed until December 31, until February 28. Besides the restrictions, it is proposed to prohibit the activities of religious buildings and premises adapted for prayer, provided that they are filled with over 50% of the provided stationary seats; religious events without stationary seats and outdoors, which don't ensure a distance of 1.5 meters between those present.

It is forbidden to admit visitors to cinemas and cultural institutions and other subjects of activity in the field of culture with the occupancy of cinemas or halls of over 50% of seats (placement is with free space next to, front and back) in each cinema or hall.

It is forbidden to receive visitors to museums, exhibitions, galleries, etc., which don't provide the opportunity to limit the number of visitors in the hall at the rate of 1 person per 10 square meters of space.

But public institutions have extended their working hours by an hour, until 11 p.m., but payment operations are prohibited from 10 p.m.