Moscow orders over-65s to self-isolate ... but not Putin

VLADIMIR PUTIN, the 67-year-old Russian president, will keep to his usual work schedule despite Moscow yesterday ordering everyone aged over 65 to self-isolate.

In the strictest measure against the coronavirus seen so far in Russia, Sergei Sobyanin, the city mayor, told older people and those with chronic diseases to self-isolate at least until April 14.

The mayor of the Russian capital said in a televised address that he was asking the elderly to comply with the order because the city cares for them.

Dmitry Peskov, Mr Putin’s spokesman, said later that the Russian leader would carry on as usual, using a loophole in the decree that makes an exception for executives in vital jobs including government agencies.

“A job is a job, especially if that job is being president, which, of course, is not subject to the criteria laid out in restrictions and recommendations,” he told Russian news agencies, adding that Mr Putin spends most of his time working at his residence.

He added, however, that Mr Putin no longer travelled or took part in large

gatherings. Mr Peskov also said he was not sure that everyone in the Kremlin administration “would be able to” comply with the order for the elderly to stay at home.

Mr Putin went to Russia-annexed Crimea last week and has been holding meetings with a large number of people. The Kremlin said that everyone who takes part in meetings with the president is asked to test for coronavirus.

Moscow, where more than half of Russia’s 438 coronavirus cases are recorded, has closed down theatres, cinemas and gyms but has stopped short of announcing a complete lockdown.

The relatively low number of cases for the nation of 145million is mostly explained by narrow testing as well as early restrictions that the government took in February by shutting down the border with China and barring Chinese nationals from the country.