Kazakhstan bans unvaccinated from malls and restaurants on weekends

A general view of Almaty city during sunset, Kazakhstan, June 21, 2021. Picture taken with a drone. REUTERS FILE PHOTO

ALMATY — Kazakhstan said on Wednesday it would ban unvaccinated people from shopping malls, restaurants and cafes on weekends in a bid to contain the spread of COVID-19.

People wanting to shop or eat out will have to show a “green” status on a mobile app, proving that they have had a shot, or a recent negative test or have recovered from the disease within the past three months, the government said.

The order comes into effect on Saturday.

The former Soviet republic is planning to reopen schools next month. Most of them have been closed since March 2020.

Kazakhstan has reported 823,189 COVID-19 cases with 8,643 related deaths. It has fully vaccinated 5.1 million people, just over a quarter of its population.