Moscow to close bars and restaurants overnight

MOSCOW (Reuters), 10 Nov, 2020 - Bars, clubs and restaurants in Moscow face two months of overnight closures to reduce the spread of COVID-19, Mayor Sergei Sobyanin said on Tuesday, as Russia’s daily tally of cases exceeded 20,000.   

Authorities have been adamant that severe lockdown restrictions, like those seen in the spring, will not be introduced, even as infections have soared to record daily highs and the official death toll from the virus has crept past 31,000.  

Russia is already testing two vaccines against the virus and is on the cusp of registering a third, President Vladimir Putin said on Tuesday, adding that all of the country’s vaccines were effective. Moscow Mayor Sobyanin said entertainment venues, including restaurants, bars and nightclubs would be forbidden from serving customers between 11 p.m. and 6 a.m. from Nov. 13 until Jan. 15.