The epidemiological regulations for autumn are approved

To ensure epidemiologically safe provision of services and safe workplaces, today, on 28 September, the Cabinet of Ministers approved autumn safety measures to limit the spread of Covid-19. 

Almost all indoor services with Covid-19 certificate

From 11 October, indoor events and services will have to be organized in at least a partially safe or “yellow” environment (if both employees and customers have been vaccinated against Covid-19, recovered or can present a negative Covid-19 test).

Some service providers already operate in the “yellow” environment, but now all areas are covered, such as catering, cultural and entertainment activities, exhibitions, accommodation, beauty and wellness services, museums, libraries, sports and amateur activities, education services, etc. Also in workplaces, as much as possible, on-site work must be organized in a semi-safe environment.

In an insecure or “red” environment (it is not possible to find out a person's status), only basic services will be provided, such as public transport, postal services, religious functions, as well as basic rights - private assembly, participation in peaceful pickets, etc. In an unsafe environment, services outdoors and individual services provided by a vaccinated or recovered provider will be available.

The “green” and “yellow” environments are more accessible to families with children

1. Expanding access to services for families with children means that in addition to the Covid-19 certificate, families with children under the age of 12 will also be able to receive services in a safe environment (“green”), ensuring basic safety requirements. 
2. In turn, children from the age of 12 in a safe “green” environment, as well as in a partially safe environment (“yellow”) will be able to present both a testing certificate and the screening test made at school if it was conducted in the past 72 hours.
    

Faster rapid antigen testing

Given that a large part of the services will be available with tests and also the staff will need them, rapid antigen testing will be facilitated - not only in laboratories, but also all medical personnel will be able to perform tests, and certificates will be issued immediately.

Obligation to vaccinate for health, social care and education workers

Provisions anticipate an obligation to vaccinate for health, social care and education workers. In addition, an employer may impose an obligation on the employee to be vaccinated after a careful risk assessment and justification, if the employee:

• is in direct, close contact with customers or a large number of people;
• has long-term close contact with other employees (for example, a production workshop in a factory);
• performs critical duties for the business continuity of the company, institution.
   

During the transition period from 11 October to 15 November, for employees of health, social care and education institutions who have started vaccination, the test for work purposes will be paid from the state budget. In other areas of employment, employees carry out tests at their own expense or agree with the employer on another solution.

In addition, employers are given more opportunities to decide on the safety of the work environment by assessing the risks of Covid-19 spread in each specific company and to implement targeted measures. This includes the possibility for the employer, when assessing the risks in the company, to plan jobs that require a vaccination or disease certificate, as well as to send an employee to perform a Covid-19 test if the employer suspects that the employee may pose a risk to other employees or service recipients.

With the establishment of epidemiological safety measures in the new wording of the regulations of the Cabinet of Ministers, they have been simplified - all services and events indoors in the “yellow” environment take place under uniform conditions. Other requirements have also been simplified and the rules have been made more understandable. The common requirements - distances, masks, ventilation, hand hygiene - apply to all service providers, as well as specific conditions for certain areas.