Russians opt for foreign beach breaks over COVID curbs

A medical specialist disinfects his hands in the intensive care unit (ICU) for patients suffering from the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) at the City Clinical Hospital named after S.Botkin in Oryol, Russia October 26, 2021. REUTERS/Maxim Shemetov

MOSCOW (Reuters) - Facing the toughest restrictions since the early months of the pandemic, many Russians have decided that now is an ideal time to fly off for a foreign beach holiday instead of hunkering down at home.

Workplaces across Russia are due to close in the first week of November for paid "non-working days" to slow the relentless spread of COVID-19. Russia on Wednesday reported 1,123 new COVID-19 deaths, its highest one-day toll of the pandemic so far.