Additional strengthened quarantine restrictions began to operate to prevent the spread of COVID-19 in Ukraine from 00:00 on Friday, January 8.
As reported, according to resolution of the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine No. 1236 of December 9, 2020, the lockdown will last until 00:00 on January 25, 2021.
During this period, the operation of cafes, restaurants and bars (except for delivery and takeaway), non-food stores, non-food markets, cinemas, fitness clubs, gyms, swimming pools, theaters and shopping centers is prohibited. Also, all educational institutions are placed on vacation, except for kindergartens and special educational institutions. In addition, all public events are prohibited.
During a lockdown, retail chains are allowed to sell food products, provided that at least 60% of their area is intended for food sales.
It is also allowed to trade in medicines, medical goods, hygiene products, communication equipment, veterinary drugs, feed, seeds, plant protection products, household chemicals and the printed press, trade in fuel.
According to decree No. 1236, trade in other groups of goods can only be carried out on condition of targeted delivery of orders.
It is also allowed “to carry out activities for the provision of financial services, activities of financial institutions and activities for the collection and transportation of currency values, the activities of postal operators, as well as medical practice, veterinary practice, the activities of gas stations (without food zones), activities for maintenance and repair vehicles, hairdressers and beauty salons by appointment.”
It is prohibited to conduct all mass (entertainment, sports, social, advertising and other) events (except for the organization of skiing leisure, but without the work of catering establishments and the sale of alcoholic beverages). At the same time, the ban also does not apply to the New Year and Christmas holidays (without concerts and fairs, including food fairs), official sports events included in the Unified Schedule of Physical Culture and Health and Sports Events of Ukraine and matches of team playing sports of professional sports clubs without spectators, provided that the participants of such events comply with the relevant sanitary and anti-epidemic measures and the implementation of mandatory daily monitoring of the health of the participants.
Also, the work of catering establishments and places for food in hotels is prohibited from 11:00 to 6:00 the next day, except for the provision of catering services in a hotel room at the request of customers.
Central and local executive authorities, other state bodies, from January 11 to January 22, 2021 inclusively, were instructed to establish a remote (home) work mode for employees, except for employees for whom it is impossible to establish a remote (home) work mode due to the nature of the performed tasks, and workers providing administrative services.
It is also recommended “to local government bodies, enterprises, institutions, organizations regardless of the form of ownership, except for institutions, regardless of the form of ownership, providing financial, banking and housing services, health protection, food supply, energy supply, water supply, communications, those that provide the functioning of the infrastructure of transport support, the sphere of defense, law and order and protection, critical infrastructure facilities, to establish a remote (home) work mode for workers in the period from January 11 to January 22, 2021, inclusively.”
Resolution No. 1236 also extended the quarantine regime in Ukraine until February 28, 2021. At the same time, planned hospitalizations in communal and state medical institutions are prohibited, the work of private clinics is not limited. Private medical institutions can carry out planned hospitalizations and operations in compliance with the necessary sanitary and epidemiological standards.
As mayor of Kyiv Vitali Klitschko said earlier, during the lockdown, public transport of the capital, including the metro, will work, but urged to use public transport only when it is necessary.
