Coronavirus: SMS requests for movement up by 33 per cent, most rejected

SMS requests for movement sent to 8998 rose by 33 per cent to 298,000 on Tuesday, the first day of the stricter measures on movement the deputy ministry of innovation said on Wednesday.

The increased requests are attributed to the new decree, which forbids circulation via a paper claim to people under 65 years of age, who are now only allowed to circulate after receiving a SMS approval.

The total number of messages sent to 8998 reached 298,000, of which the majority, around 189,000, were rejected.

According to the data, 45 per cent of approved requests were linked to reason no. 2 on the government movement request form. This covers a visit to a store or a supermarket to buy essential goods.

The second and third most popular requests were for physical exercise, around 19 per cent, and for a visit to a doctor or a pharmacy, around 14 per cent.

 

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