Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin on Thursday extended a recommended self-isolation period for residents older than 65 and those in COVID-19 risk groups through New Year until Jan. 15 as a precaution against the coronavirus pandemic.
Virus cases have surged nationwide since September, but authorities have resisted imposing a stringent lockdown, saying that targeted measures should be enough.
Sobyanin also said at least that 30% of staff at companies in the capital who had already been told to work remotely as a precaution should continue to do so until Jan. 15.
Moscow, a bustling city of more than 12.5 million people, reports thousands of new coronavirus cases on a daily basis.
(Reporting by Maxim Rodiononv; writing by Tom Balmforth; editing by Kim Coghill)
