Azernews.Az

By Aisha Jabbarova

Azerbaijan will ban unvaccinated citizens’ entry to large shopping centers and catering facilities as of September 1, Interior Ministry’s Spokesman Elshad Hajiyev said on August 23.

The official stressed that in case of the violation of this rule, the owner of such facilities but not the citizens will be fined.

Citizens who received the first dose of the vaccine against COVID-19 will be allowed to enter the above-mentioned facilities, Hajiyev added.

Meanwhile, chairman of the country’s Union for Management of Medical Territorial Units (TABIB) wrote in his Twitter account today that 96 percent of citizens who were infected with coronavirus (COVID-19) and hospitalized in Azerbaijan from March to date are unvaccinated citizens. In the same post, he called on citizens to be vaccinated and thereby reduce the level of threat posed by the COVID-19 pandemic.

It should be noted that Presidential Aide Shahmar Movsumov announced on August 20 that residents over the age of 18 will be required to introduce COVID-19 passports for entering public catering establishments, hotels and large shopping centers.

No requirements on COVID-19 vaccination will imposed for Baku metro passengers and for buyers in grocery stores, while the decision to reopen theaters and cinemas is expected to be made in the future depending on the further epidemiological situation, Movsumov said.

The existence of COVID-19 passports will be checked though a newly-launched mobile application.

As of August 9, Azerbaijan started issuing vaccination exemption certificates for citizens with contraindications to coronavirus vaccines approved for use in the country.