Kremlin: Putin shakes hands only with people 'screened for coronavirus'
Those with whom Russian President Vladimir Putin holds face-to-face meetings amid the coronavirus pandemic, undergo screening for this infection, said Putin's press secretary Dmitry Peskov, explaining the handshake, which was exchanged the day before by Putin, Deputy Prime Minister Yury Trutnev and the Minister of the Development of the Russian Far East and Arctic, Alexander Kozlov.
According to RIA Novosti, Peskov specified that Putin, even in the current conditions of isolation, continues face-to-face meetings "with a small number of people" who undergo medical checks.
"As for the fact that the president shakes hands, these are people carefully screened," Peskov assured. He added that Putin reserves the right to adhere to the usual rules of greeting.
Peskov also noted that Putin himself passes tests for coronavirus as often as his doctor thinks it is appropriate. Peskov said that he is not aware of the "protocol" of such research.
According to the latest data, 7, 497 people have tested positive in Russia. 494 of them have recovered, 58 have died.