PM vows support for businesses amid "weekend quarantine" bans

The Cabinet of Ministers is ready to support entrepreneurs for the duration of the enhanced weekend quarantine, says Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal.

"The government is ready to lend a shoulder to support our entrepreneurs during the tougher weekend quarantine. We understand that any restrictive measures affect business operations," Shmyhal wrote on Facebook Tuesday.

On November 11, Shmyhal added, the Cabinet is set to consider a number of amendments to Resolution No. 641, laying down the "weekend quarantine" concept.

Read alsoHealth Ministry explains reasons for introducing "weekend quarantine"The prime minister noted that in order to support businesses, the government is ready to renew and expand the following assistance programs:

• Partial compensation of salaries over downtime. This is a partial unemployment program, thanks to which more than 450,000 jobs were preserved in the spring and summer;
• Payments for children in entrepreneurs' families – the same that were operating in spring;
• Together with the Chamber of Commerce and Industry, we are working on a mechanism for implementing force majeure circumstances in connection with the weekend quarantine.

"After consulting with businesses and experts, the government has selected such a model of quarantine measures that will ensure the functioning of the economy and prevent overload of the health care system," added Shmyhal.

Weekend quarantine in Ukraine: Background

• On November 9, Ukraine's Deputy Health Minister, Chief Medical Officer Viktor Liashko said the government would decide soon on the strict quarantine curbs over the weekend.
• In particular, the Health Ministry invites the government to establish additional quarantine curbs on the territory of Ukraine and prohibit all mass cultural events, restrict the activities of food courts, children's rooms and entertainment zones in shopping and entertainment centers, gyms, fitness centers, and swimming pools.
• The Health Ministry proposes to recommend to business entities to introduce a separate time for servicing people over 60 years old.
• In addition, the ministry offers for shops to operate in the red zone, but from 07:00 to 20:00, with the number of visitors being one per 20 square meters.
• The weekend quarantine may be introduced from November 14.
• As of November 10, 2020, a total of 10,179 new active COVID-19 cases had been confirmed across the country in the past 24 hours. The total number of confirmed cases grew to 479,197.