Putin declares 10-day 'non-working period' in Russia amid coronavirus surge
Coronavirus in Russia
Russia’s President Vladimir Putin has announced a 10-day 'non-working' period to contain the widespread coronaviruspandemic in the country.
Observing a surge in the coronavirus cases, Putin backed the proposal for the 'non-working' period which will start next month and is expected to break the chain of rising cases of the deadly virus.
"If you think that it's necessary, let's do it. Today I'll sign the relevant decree," Putin said in a televised meeting where a proposal for the same was presented to him from the head of Rospotrebnadzor, Anna Popova.
The decision has come a day after Putin claimed Russia is aiming for herd immunity against the coronavirus by the autumn and hailed the medical experts for the vaccine rollout.
"Vaccination is now of paramount importance... to allow herd immunity to develop in the fall," he said during his annual state of the nation address.
"Our scientists have made a real breakthrough. Now Russia has three reliable vaccines against the coronavirus," he added.