How the life in Almaty after quarantine will be changed

Akim Bakytzhan Sagintayev told how Almaty will recover after quarantine, correspondent of Tengrinews.kz reports.

During online meeting with media representatives akim of the city Bakytzhan Sagintayev explained that the enterprises will return to its work by 3 stages:

First stage – from 20 April (89,4 thousand of workplaces)

• Manufacturing industry

• Construction (all types of construction works)

• Notary services and state registration of hypothecated property (Government for citizens)

Second stage (231,4 thousand of workplaces)

• Non-food retail facilities (up to 2 000 sq.m), including cardealerships

• Service industry, dry cleaners (excluding beauty shops, sport service, entertainment, public catering facilities)

• Operations with real estate

• Information and network

• Financial and insurance activities

• Transport and storage

• Some facilities of financial sector: Second-tier banks (head offices – 50 percent, branches – no more than 50 percent), KASE, stock market

• Some types of services (auto service companies, tire shop, car washes, office equipment repair facilities and advertising agencies, notaries)

Third stage – approximately by the end of May (303 thousand of workplaces)

• Large trade centers, trade houses, non-food markets, including entertainment centers, karaoke, bowling

• Service industry: beauty shops, sport centers, public catering facilities

• Education

• Professional, scientific and technical activities

• Entertainment and recreation

In addition the city authorities promise to install thermal cameras in industrial enterprises of Almaty in order to investigate people with high temperature.

Despite the fact that the enterprises will resume its work the akim predicts possible unemployment growth. Sagintayevassumes that businessmen will decrease the number of their employees after quarantine. According to the words of the akimthe unemployment rate will increase from current 5,1 % to 15-16 %. The businessmen could be fined or their work could be suspended for three months if they don’t comply with COVID-19 prevention measures. The head of the city introduced obligatory general prevention norms.

All mass cultural events in Almaty are canceled till 30 June. However, the system of preschool education could start to work gradually from the middle of May.

The secondary education system will be preparing to complete the fourth quarter in online regime. Higher educational establishments will function in accordance with algorithm of the Ministry of Education and Science – said the akim.

Elderly Almaty residents were recommended not to go out from their homes till 15 May. Moreover, Almaty akim explained the city access rules after quarantine regime relaxation in the city.

When leaving quarantine, it is necessary to maintain or even tighten the regime of entry and exit from the city, including air travel. With sufficient resources, the population could enter the city gradually, but only after testing and quarantine isolation, he said.

At the same time, a sanitary zone may appear around Almaty.

To further restore the economy of Almaty as well as suburban areas, it is possible to create a protected sanitary zone around Almaty with the inclusion of the suburbs Kaskelen, Talgar, Shamalgan and others. Residents inside the sanitary zone will be able to gradually enter the city after testing, BakytzhanSagintayev said.

The peak of the coronavirus epidemic in Almaty is predicted in the second half of April. According to the calculations of the Ministry of Healthcare 800 people may become infected with coronavirus in the city.

Recalling that in Almaty on March 19 the quarantine regime began to operate. From March 22 the entrance and exit from the city was completely closed.