Millions in Moscow refused service under new Covid restrictions

Millions of Moscow residents have been stopped from entering bars and restaurants without proof of vaccination or recovery from Covid-19, as cases of the virus soar in Russia.

Since Monday, in order to get into restaurants and bars, Moscow residents have been required to show QR codes on their phones, proving that they had had a vaccine, recently tested negative, or recovered from the virus. To date, only 2.5 million passes have been issued to a population of more than 12 million. Top officials have said that the policy could also be extended to shops, entertainment venues and public transport.

Currently all customers – even those without proof of vaccination or Covid-free status – are allowed on restaurant’s summer terraces, but this policy will only last until 12 July at which time they will also have to show QR codes to gain access.

On Saturday, Russia reported its fifth record for daily Covid deaths in a row, with 697 deaths. The country also reported more than 24,000 new Covid infections on Saturday – the highest figure since 16 January.

The record numbers have been driven by the highly-contagious Delta variant which is surging across Russia’s mostly unvaccinated population.

To date, only 16 per cent of the population has received one dose of the vaccine, and only around 10 per cent is fully vaccinated, leaving more than 131 million Russians vulnerable to the virus. Much of the country is perceived to be vaccine hesitant.

In an annual televised address on Wednesday, president Vladimir Putin urged Russians to receive a jab and said that the new system for restaurants and bars is the only way to avoid a national lockdown.

Following up on the president’s comments, Dmitry Peskov, a Kremlin spokesperson, said on Friday: “No one wants any lockdowns. The lockdown is not being discussed. Everyone should be vaccinated as soon as possible precisely to avoid such discussions”.