Health ministry to propose nationwide weekend lockdown

The Health Ministry will propose to the Cabinet of
Ministers this week a nationwide lockdown on weekends in Ukraine, Health
Minister Maksym Stepanov told a Nov. 9 press briefing. Only food retailers,
pharmacies, gasoline stations and public transport will be allowed to function
in order to “break the chain” of transferring the COVID-19 disease, he said. All
shopping malls should be closed and eateries should limit their service to
takeout, he said.

All of Ukraine’s territory was in the orange and red
zones of quarantine as of Nov. 6, the cabinet reported that day. The city of
Kyiv was in the orange zone, which involves restrictions of hostels,
restaurants and entertainments centers in the evenings, planned
hospitalizations, fitness centers, sports and cultural events, and mass events.
Ukraine’s second-largest city Kharkiv was in the red zone, which involves prohibiting
the activity of public transport, educational institutions, shopping malls, and
restaurants.

Ukraine’s parliament voted on Nov. 6 to impose fines
on individuals not wearing masks in public buildings and transport. The fines
are imposed by police at the moment of the violation.

New infections of the COVID-19 disease caused by the
coronavirus reached 8,687 cases on Nov. 8, the Health Ministry reported this
morning. That’s after 9,397 cases on Nov. 7 and a record-setting 10,746 on Nov.
6. An estimated 115 people died from the disease on Nov. 8, compared to 138 on
Nov. 7 and 187 on Nov. 6. An estimated patients 1,100 were hospitalized on Nov.
8, compared to 1,157 on Nov. 7 and 1,470 on Nov. 6. The city of Kyiv’s number
of cases exceeded 1,000 for the first time on Nov. 5. It was 748 on Nov. 8,
compared to 943 on Nov. 7 and 854 on Nov. 6.

Zenon Zawada: We view the government’s approach as entirely reasonable, having
achieved a solid balance between health and economic concerns.