The government at a session Tuesday adopted the set of restrictive measures proposed by the Commission for Infectious Diseases. Under the new restrictions, hospitality businesses will close earlier, holiday celebrations indoors and outdoors will be banned. Also, there are recommendations for the religious communities, work organizations and the municipalities.

“Faced with a fresh challenge in the fight against COVID-19… the government today at a session decided to approve the recommendations of the Commission for Infectious Diseases involving a new set of restrictive measures, to be in force from December 18 until January 20 at midnight, so as to prevent the number of COVID-19 infections from increasing during the coming holidays,” Prime Minister Zoran Zaev told a news conference

The government, he said, decided that hospitality businesses should close at 6 pm instead of at 9 pm.

“The objective is to hold on just a little longer under these restrictions and not to allow to worsen the situation by holding and organizing celebrations,” Zaev said adding the measure was entitled “Celebrate Responsibly”.

It is aimed at curbing the disease from spreading ahead of the arrival of the vaccine, according to him.

In addition to early closure or bars and restaurants and bans for indoor and outdoor celebrations, the religious communities will be advised against organizing mass gatherings over the holidays.

Also, households are advised against mixing indoors and the citizens are advised not to go out after 6 pm, only for urgent matters.