Cabinet of Ministers’ lockdown exit plan: Nothing is said about worship

Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine. Photo: rbc.ua

On April 24, 2020, Prime Minister of Ukraine Denis Shmygal announced 5 stages of the country's quarantine release but said nothing about the lifting of the worship ban.

“From May 11, we will hopefully embark on the first stage of lockdown lifting and ease certain restrictions by allowing to visit parks and squares. We’ll give permission to wholesale and retail stores to sell non-foods,” Shmygal said in Details of the Week program on the Inter TV channel.

He also emphasized that virtually all the Churches did their best to meet the Government’s and society’s wants and very responsibly complied with the observance of quarantine requirements.

“Despite the fact that the temples remain open, services are practically never performed. There are some exceptions, but we are engaged in dialogue with the leaders of churches of all faiths, all religions, and everyone very seriously approaches their responsibility before society in terms of stopping this virus,” said the Prime Minister of Ukraine.

The quarantine lifting scheme published on the Government Portal suggests the following steps to easing restrictions:

Stage 1 – parks, squares, recreation areas, forest parks and coastal areas (except for playgrounds); part of the objects of the beauty industry; training in team sports; wholesale and retail trade in non-food products; cafe (take-away service); car washes, bike shops, bike rental; notaries, lawyers, auditors.

Stage 2 – consumer services; resumption of graduation classes in schools, preparation for standardized external testing; catering establishments (take-away); open-air cinemas; gyms and fitness centers (with certain restrictions and without pools); hotels; resumption of sporting events in which no more than 50 people without spectators participate.

Stage 3 – sports and playgrounds; educational institutions (separate); underground service (special transportation); interurban transport within the region; SEC (without entertainment areas and playgrounds); theaters and cinemas; hostels, motels, recreation centers; catering facilities with visitors.

Stage 4 – underground and all ground public transport; SEC and other entertainment facilities; gyms and fitness centers; catering establishments; cultural institutions; educational institutions; planned medical and dental care.

Stage 5 – abolition of other restrictions, save for those established by local authorities in separate administrative-territorial units.

Shmygal also warned that “security economy” would operate in the country for a while: social distancing, personal protective equipment, contact-free forms of payment and delivery of goods, communication via electronic media.

Earlier, the Cabinet extended lockdown in Ukraine until May 11.

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