Moscow may limit New Year celebrations

Moscow may limit New Year celebrations

Moscow may limit New Year celebrations
It became known that celebrations in the center of the capital may be limited.  It is assumed that Tverskaya Street will not be closed to people.

According to Vedomosti, citing an official and an interlocutor close to the Moscow mayor's office, no celebrations are planned in the center of the capital this year.  In the years before the pandemic, the vehicle access to Tverskaya Street was closed due to public festivities in Moscow, but now this will not happen.
However, 20 New Year's sites will be opened in non-central areas of the city.
At the moment, skating rinks have already been opened in Moscow on the Red Square, VDNKh and in Gorky Park.  It was noted that it was not planned to introduce QR codes for visiting catering and other establishments for a period of New Year celebrations in order to let the local residents ‘celebrate and breathe out’. In addition, the incidence of covid is decreasing in Moscow - 3805 new patients were recorded in the last 24 hours, but before that there were no more than 3050 new cases recorded for the whole week. 

Since the beginning of the pandemic, there have been no major celebrations in the center of Moscow.  The authorities want people to stay in the districts they live in and visit the center of the city less.  However, it is noted  that there is almost a month before the New Year and plans may change.
Local authorities will make decisions concerning the organization of mass celebrations in other regions on their own.
Earlier, the Governor of St. Petersburg Alexander Beglov said that the city may impose restrictions on the New Year holidays.  On New Year's Eve itself, there will be no events on Palace Square and Nevsky Prospect, where up to 1.5 million people gather during the public celebrations.  What is more, St. Petersburg will not extend the work hours of metro and public transport.

The head of the Russian Federal State Agency for Health and Consumer Rights, Anna Popova, said that this year, it would be better to spend the holidays at home or in the open air, and avoid going abroad. 

03.12.2021