Putin stated that Russians had the option to either stay at home for 15 days or to land in jail for 5 years due to the coronavirus outbreak.

The measures taken by the Russian government to prevent the spread of the coronavirus do not include any such jail terms.News had gone viral that Russian President Vladimir Putin saying that Russian citizens should stay home for 15 days, or go to jail for five years. The Russian government held a meeting on 19 March 2020 about the measures to prevent the spread of the coronavirus and reduce its impact on the economy. Proactive measures were being taken by the President, the government and regional authorities to prevent the mass spread of the coronavirus in the country and therefore it was necessary to restrict all contacts as much as possible. The official news added that a federal system of monitoring the disease had been created. It also pointed out that they were introducing temporary rules which would be adjusted depending on the situation. We did not find any statement by Putin asking people to stay indoors or face a jail term. The COVID-19 pandemic has given rise to a lot of potentially dangerous misinformation. For reliable advice on COVID-19 including symptoms, prevention and available treatment, please refer to the World Health Organisation or your national healthcare authority.