The Russian health minister failed to set an example after he took off his face mask during a speech while the country is gripped by a growing coronavirus crisis.
Mikhail Murashko was unmasked by his own MPs after they shouted at him: “Take off the mask” and “Take it off.” He had attempted to address members while wearing personal protective equipment at a plenary session of the State Duma, or lower house of parliament.
He told them: “Respected colleagues, I feel rather comfortable being in a mask and gloves…” The session was in Moscow, currently the Russian coronavirus epicentre, which has seen more than half the country's official death toll.