Businesses whose staff and customers have a vaccination certificate or a negative PCR test will not need to comply with ‘yellow’ and ‘red’ zone restrictions, says Ukrainian goverment Monday.

By promising exemptions, state officials want to offset the fallout the country is facing once a new lockdown is imposed.

Health Ministry data shows new cases has increased by 6 thousand over the week with 1 in 4 patients now coming in severe condition.

Chernivtsi, Volyn, Lviv and Ternopil regions see high growth rates of new cases.  The occupancy of oxygen beds is growing rapidly in these regions, and the number of hospitalizations has increased by 60% in a week.

In Volyn, Lviv, Odesa and Ternopil regions, the dynamics of the hospitalization is now exceeding the threshold indicators established for the ‘green’ zone.

Last said week, health officials said they would seek bringing  back the ‘yellow’ quarantine zone restrictions starting September 13. However, the decision was postponed with most of Ukraine remaining in the ‘green zone’.

The goverment faces a balancing act with