On 8 December, the Azerbaijani government extended the nationwide quarantine regime until January 31, reported Trend. Due to the heightened infection cases, the authorities have also tightened the special quarantine regime until 18 January.

A strict special quarantine regime will be in force throughout the country from 14 December  midnight until 18 January  midnight and will involve an SMS permit system for the movement of the citizens and the closure of most workplaces. Citizens were allowed to leave their homes for three reasons: To visit the doctor (permission for 3 hours within the district and city), to visit a pharmacy, shop, bank, or post office (permission is issued once a day for 3 hours), or to attend the funeral of a relative. 

Under the new lockdown rules, the entrance and exit to Baku, Sumgait, Mingechevir, Shirvan, Absheron district, as well as Lankaran, Masalli, Jalilabad, Sheki, Zagatala, Guba, Khachmaz, Yevlakh, Barda, Bilasuvar and Ismailli will be closed. Work and services in all spheres, except those defined by the corresponding decision of the Cabinet of Minister, would be suspended. All retail outlets, public catering enterprises, including restaurants, cafes and tea shops were allowed only to provide customers with delivery and online services. The wearing of appropriate medical masks will be mandatory in all indoor and outdoor spaces across the country. 

Passenger traffic in the Baku Metro will continue to be restricted during the quarantine regime, while the work of all public transport will remain suspended on weekends during the duration of the quarantine. Azerbaijani citizens who have tickets for international and domestic flights will allowed to leave their place of residence on the basis of their tickets, and those entering the country across the state border will also allowed to enter their place of residence on the basis of a stamp in their passport.

Additionally, one-time financial aid in the amount of 190 manat (110 USD) will be paid to about 600,000 citizens living on a low-income to help offset the impact of strict quarantine regime. Recipients of the aid will be the same people identified during the previous tightened quarantine regime. At the same time, it is planned to provide assistance to entrepreneurs working in the affected areas.

The Assistant to Azerbaijan’s President Hikmet Hajiyev stated that the rate of spread of Covid-19 in the country causes concern. The Head of the Department of Economic Issues and Innovative Development Policy within the country’s presidential administration Shahmar Movsumov said that an “iron fist” is needed to fight the spread of the virus in Azerbaijan. He also outlined that Azerbaijan was conducting negotiations over a possible purchase of the  vaccine.

In the past 24 hours, Azerbaijan reported 4,387 new cases of Covid-19 and 38 deaths, bringing the total tally to 154,152 cases and 1,713 deaths.