Moscow eases curbs after vaccine credited for gains

Moscow's mayor has introduced what he calls a significant easing in coronavirus restrictions, citing the success of the vaccination campaign in the Russian capital in enabling freer movement for many.

Museums and libraries were reopened from Friday, and theaters and cinemas were allowed to accommodate more patrons, Sergei Sobyanin said.

Colleges, sports schools, supplementary educational facilities and children's leisure centers administered by the city were also reopened on Friday. However, Sobyanin said universities will need to continue with remote learning until at least Feb 6.

"The situation with the spread of the coronavirus infection inspires cautious optimism," Sobyanin wrote on social media.

Bars and restaurants will continue to close at 11 pm and companies must ensure that at least 30 percent of their employees work from home.

Despite the broader easing, the elderly and people suffering from chronic illnesses are still advised to stay home. The public transport cards of those who go out to get vaccinated will be unblocked.

Sobyanin said that for this past week, the city was registering on average 2,000 to 4,000 new infections a day, "significantly less" than in late December.

The mayor also pointed to the "increasing speed" of the vaccination campaign, with more than 220,000 Muscovites inoculated in a city of more than 12 million.

"In this situation we can afford to significantly ease the existing restrictions," Sobyanin said. "Large-scale vaccination and mask-wearing on public transport and in public places are the key to success."

As the second wave of the pandemic swept across Europe in the autumn, Russia opted against introducing strict lockdown measures－as seen at the start of the country's outbreak in the spring－and instead pinned its hopes on the quick distribution of a vaccine.

The Russian Direct Investment Fund, which financed the development of Russia's vaccine, says that more than 1 million people have been vaccinated across Russia.

The Russian government is considering issuing coronavirus health certificates that could ease travel and commerce restrictions for those who have been vaccinated or have antibodies as a result of contracting the virus. Alongside such an initiative, the liberties of others would be sharply curtailed. A similar approach has been floated in the European Union and by private companies.

Proponents say that such documents, which some have taken to calling COVID passports, could help revive air travel and hasten the broader reopenings of theaters and other settings where people congregate, including on cruise ships.

One part of the country is moving early on this front. The Russian republic of Bashkortostan will introduce COVID passports from Feb 5, becoming the first Russian region to do so, Governor Radiy Khabirov said.

The electronic document and an associated QR code will be automatically issued to residents with COVID-19 antibodies through the local government's online portal.