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St. Petersburg to go into lockdown to bring down coronavirus cases and prevent influx of tourists

Over the weekend, the St. Petersburg authorities announced plans for a renewed lockdown during the nationwide “non-working days” from October 30 to November 7. According to the local newspaper Fontanka, the city authorities are hoping this will help bring down surging coronavirus cases, and prevent an influx of tourists from Moscow and other regions that have also announced tighter restrictions. An informed source warned Fontanka that St. Petersburg’s coronavirus hospitals are nearly at capacity. Moreover, the newspaper noted that Moscow announcing plans to introduce a partial lockdown led to a spike in demand for train tickets and hotel bookings in St. Petersburg and the surrounding region.

The decree announcing lockdown restrictions, signed by St. Petersburg Governor Alexander Beglov, appeared on the city administration’s website on Saturday, October 23. According to the document, the following businesses will be closed during Russia’s paid “non-working days” from Saturday, October 30 to Sunday, November 7:

• Cafes, bars, and restaurants (take-out and delivery services will still be allowed);
• Non-food stores, with the exception of of pharmacies and other businesses selling “essential goods”;
• Beauty salons (but not hair salons), fitness centers, skating rinks, and water parks;
• Children’s entertainment centers;
• State and municipal service centers;
• Libraries, galleries, movie theaters, concert halls, and circuses.

In addition, nearly all public events will be prohibited. The lockdown order makes exceptions for events at theaters and museums, which will require attendees to provide QR codes with proof of vaccination (or recovery from COVID-19), or a certificate of medical exemption from vaccination. On Telegram, St. Petersburg Deputy Governor Boris Piotrovsky wrote that this is “good news for true Petersburgers and connoisseurs of beauty.” “Make good use of the long weekend and take care of yourself,” Piotrovsky added.

According to the local newspaper Fontanka, the city authorities decided to introduce tighter restrictions for two main reasons. The first being the need to lower the coronavirus incidence in the city itself (since October 16, St. Petersburg has registered more than 3,000 new coronavirus cases daily). “If we don’t introduce a lockdown now, within a week there will be no vacancies in covid hospitals,” an informed source told the newspaper last Friday.

The second reason for announcing a lockdown was the need to avoid an influx of tourists from Moscow and other regions during the November holidays. Fontanka reported that after the Russian capital announced plans to go into a partial lockdown, demand for the Sapsan — the high-speed train service from St. Petersburg to Moscow — grew significantly. In addition, hotels in St. Petersburg and the surrounding Leningrad region hardly have any vacancies. In accordance with the new restrictions, hotels and sanatoriums will also require guests to provide QR codes or proof of a negative PCR test, taken three days before check-in.

Earlier, the St. Petersburg authorities announced that QR codes would soon be required for a number of activities. From November 1, access to “conventions, exhibitions, and sporting events” with more than 40 people will be limited. From November 15, QR codes will be required for entry to swimming pools, fitness centers, theaters, circuses, concerts halls, movie theaters, museumed, and exhibitions. And from December 1, QR codes will be required for visiting bars and cafes, as well as non-food stores (there are certain exceptions, including pharmacies).

As underlined by Fontanka’s source, the city authorities hope that tighter restrictions will allow them to avoid shutting down businesses over the New Year’s holidays.

Story by Pavel Merzlikin

Translation by Eilish Hart