Kazakhstan bans unvaccinated from malls and restaurants on weekends

FILE PHOTO: People wait their turn before entering the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) vaccination centre located at the shopping mall MEGA Alma-Ata in Almaty, Kazakhstan April 14, 2021. Kazakhstan set up COVID-19 inoculation facilities at shopping malls and bazaars in hope to speed up its mass vaccination campaign. Picture taken April 14, 2021. REUTERS/Mariya Gordeyeva

Kazakhstan said on Wednesday it would ban unvaccinated people from shopping malls, restaurants and cafes on weekends in a bid to contain the spread of COVID-19.

People wanting to shop or eat out will have to show a "green" status on a mobile app, proving that they have had a shot, or a recent negative test or have recovered from the disease within the past three months, the government said.

The order comes into effect on Saturday.

FILE PHOTO: A general view of Almaty city during sunset, Kazakhstan, June 21, 2021. Picture taken with a drone. REUTERS/Pavel Mikheyev/File Photo

The former Soviet republic is planning to reopen schools next month. Most of them have been closed since March 2020.

Kazakhstan has reported 823,189 COVID-19 cases with 8,643 related deaths. It has fully vaccinated 5.1 million people, just over a quarter of its population.

(Reporting by Olzhas Auyezov; Editing by Andrew heavens)