Moscow extends COVID-19 restrictions, closes Euro 2020 fan zones

The Russian capital Moscow will extend COVID-19 restrictions imposed this week until June 29, mayor Sergei Sobyanin said on Friday, after a surge in daily cases.

The measures include bans on public events with more than 1,000 people, shutting cafes and restaurants at night, and closing football fan zones set up for the European Championship, Sobyanin said on his blog.

The mayor said this week Moscow was facing a new, more aggressive and infectious coronavirus variant.

His office has this month ordered mandatory vaccinations for a number of service workers in the city and declared this week a non-working week. Businesses will return to work on Monday, Sobyanin said.