Russia To Decide On Extending Paid Leave Over COVID-19 Next Week - Moscow Deputy Mayor

BARNAUL (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 27th March, 2020) Russian authorities will decide at the end of next week whether to grant citizens more days off beyond the week-long paid leave in pursuit of slowing down the spread of COVID-19, Moscow Deputy Mayor Anastasia Rakova said on Thursday.

On Wednesday, Russian President Vladimir Putin signed an order designating the week from March 30 - April 3 a non-working one with preservation of work pay, as a measure to curb the spread of the coronavirus; Russians will thus go on a weekend break this coming Saturday and return to work on Monday, April 6.

"Today, all decisions are made for one week.

At the end of next week, depending on the development of the situation around the coronavirus, adequate measures will be taken," Rakova said during an appearance on tv channel Rossiya 1, when asked about how long the COVID-19 leave in Russia is expected to last for.

During a nationwide public address on Wednesday, Putin urged fellow Russian citizens to use the break as a chance to practice social distancing and stay home more.

Russia is among the least affected countries, both in Europe and Asia. The COVID-19 tally in Russia has gone 182 cases up over the past day to a total of 840 cases, including two fatalities and 38 recoveries.