Permission granted for group prayer and religious observance in designated 'safe' areas
In Kazakhstan, the government has implemented a zoning system to manage the spread of COVID-19. This system, outlined in the Decree "On Restrictive Quarantine Measures and Their Gradual Easing," divides the country into three zones: red, yellow, and green. Each zone has different measures for various facilities, including schools and religious facilities.
In the "green zone," collective prayer and worship are allowed in designated "green zone" facilities, with a maximum capacity of 30% and not exceeding 100 people. However, no specific capacity limits are provided for mosques in rural areas for Juma prayer, but it is allowed only in rural areas and with a maximum capacity of 25%. It's important to note that the search results did not provide detailed information on the specific COVID-19 safety measures for these facilities and gatherings in Kazakhstan's different zones.
Moving to the "yellow zone," partial reopening with social distancing, capacity limits, and mask requirements are implemented in cafeterias and religious facilities. Limited-size gatherings are allowed with precautionary measures. In the "red zone," the highest risk zone, strict restrictions may apply, such as closure or very limited capacity in school cafeterias, suspension or severe limitation of gatherings in religious facilities, and bans or tight limits on public gatherings.
One crucial point to note is that collective events are prohibited in religious facilities located in the "red or yellow zone." School cafeterias and other educational facilities can operate while adhering to anti-COVID rules in all zones.
For official and precise stipulations, it is recommended to consult the official Kazakh Ministry of Health, government decrees, or Kazakhstan's COVID-19 official regulatory updates. These sources would provide authoritative, detailed measures for each zone and facility type.
Recently, the main state sanitary doctor of Kazakhstan, Yerlan Kiyasov, has made changes to the Decree "On Restrictive Quarantine Measures and Their Gradual Easing." For the full text of the decree, please visit this link.
Stay safe and follow the guidelines to help curb the spread of COVID-19.
In the context of Kazakhstan's zoning system, science plays a vital role in informing decision-making as each zone's safety measures are based on COVID-19 transmission data. Health-and-wellness is prioritized with restricted religious gatherings in both yellow and red zones, whereas green zone mosques have a maximum capacity of 100 people and 25 attendees for rural Juma prayers.
