Government allows gatherings of eight people, four together in cafes

Ukraine’s Cabinet of Ministers is further easing coronavirus quarantine restrictions and increasing the number of people that can walk in groups in public places and sit at the same table in outdoor restaurants, Health Minister Maksym Stepanov announced on May 13.

According to the new rules, groups of up to eight people can walk together in public places, including in parks. Previously, people were only allowed to walk in pairs with up to two children.

However, people are still required to wear medical masks on the street, Stepanov said.

The government also decided to increase the number of people who can share a table at an outdoor cafe from two to four. That decision comes at the request of the country’s restaurant owners. Additionally, restaurants can now serve visitors under tents without walls, provided they follow safety restrictions. Previously, only open-air summer terraces and takeaway were allowed.

The government’s decision will come into force when it publishes a decree in a few days.

Since May 11, Ukraine’s government has allowed local authorities to lift a number of restrictions, including resuming the work of cafes and restaurants with summer terraces, dental clinics and hairdressing salons.

The businesses that have already reopened in Kyiv include:

• hairdressers and beauty salons;
• all stores that are up to 300 square meters in area; the number of customers that are inside simultaneously shouldn’t exceed one person per 10 square meters;
• restaurants are allowed to sell take-out (although many did it already) and seat customers on summer terraces (although there are some restrictions);
• parks;
• manufacturing enterprises and businesses offering various services (repairs, clothing ateliers, etc.); they also need to ensure that no more than one person — whether a client or an employee — per one square meter of space is present at any time;
• lawyers’ and notaries’ offices;

The government is monitoring the spread of COVID-19 and plans to review the new measures if the situation changes for the better or for the worse.