NUR-SULTAN, July 28 (Xinhua) -- Kazakh Health Minister Aleksei Tsoi announced Tuesday that the country is considering easing its quarantine measures in a phased manner in August.
From Aug. 3, venues like shopping centers, retail chains, markets, preschool institutions and beauty salons are allowed to reopen with restrictions on opening hours and customer numbers, Tsoi said during an online government meeting.
The health minister said public transport in cities would resume operation with a shorter running period and an occupancy of no more than 50 percent, and passengers and drivers are obliged to wear masks.
Tsoi said that at least 80 percent of employees of government bodies and office workers should work from home, and the public must continue to observe social distancing, wear masks and wash hands.
He added that public events would remain banned, and a ban on the operations of inter-city buses would continue.
The Central Asian country imposed a second nationwide lockdown since July 5 as COVID-19 cases soared. Tsoi said the reproductive rate of COVID-19 has dropped to 0.99 and the burden on the health care system has been reduced three weeks later.
As of Tuesday, Kazakhstan has reported 84,648 confirmed cases, with 54,404 recoveries and 610 deaths. Enditem
