Third and Fourth Covid Waves Combine to Trigger ‘Tsunami’ of Suffering across Russia

Paul Goble

            Staunton, Oct. 5 – The third and fourth waves of the coronavirus pandemic have combined in Russia to trigger “a tsunami” of suffering across the country, with infections, hospitalizations and deaths all rising higher, and many outside observers suggesting that the real situation in that country is far worse than the Russian government is admitting (svpressa.ru/health/article/312008/).

            Contributing to the disaster are widespread reluctance among Russians not yet vaccinated to get their shots, a medical system that in many places is strained beyond capacity, and the fact that many Russians have received shots and treatments of anything  but proven effectiveness (theins.ru/en/society/245504 and newizv.ru/news/society/05-10-2021/polovine-kovid-infitsirovannyh-naznachayut-neeffektivnye-preparaty).

            For Russia as a whole, the number of infected is more than three times as great as it was at this time in 2020 (regnum.ru/news/3389912.html), with increased rates of infection in 67 of the more than 80 federal subjects of the country (regnum.ru/news/3390015.html). In many places, draconian new restrictions are being introduced (severreal.org/a/v-rossii-vvodyat-novye-antikovidnye-ogranicheniya/31493347.html and regnum.ru/news/society/3387415.html).

            Russian officials reported registering 25,110 new cases of infection and 895 new deaths from the coronavirus (t.me/COVID2019_official/3635). More than two-thirds of the covid beds in Moscow and Petersburg capitals were occupied (regnum.ru/news/3389933.html and regnum.ru/news/3389590.html).

Nearly 970,000 Russians across the country are being treated for coronavirus infections at present (regnum.ru/news/3389883.html).And officials estimate they need to vaccinate 36 million more Russians, something Moscow is not on pace to meet anytime soon (regnum.ru/news/3389934.html).

Because vaccinations are proceeding so slowly, the Kremlin has decided without being explicit about it to shift from trying to coerce people into getting the shots to encouraging them by offering an expanding lottery program to get them to do so (ura.news/articles/1036283201 and ura.news/news/1052509171).

Signaling this shift, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said that “all measures are good” which help Russians to decide on their own to get vaccinated as that is the only way the country can overcome the current waves of the pandemic (regnum.ru/news/3389747.html). Vladimir Putin for his part said it was necessary to organize a timely revaccination program (regnum.ru/news/3389935.html).

            The health ministry stressed that there is plenty of vaccine available for those who want it, with every region now having at least a two months’ supply of the medication (regnum.ru/news/3389922.html).

            Some analysts had suggested that many who had not gotten the vaccination earlier would do so if foreign vaccines became available, but a new poll suggests neither matters. 87 percent of those not vaccinated say they would not get the shots even if they were of foreign vaccines, and only aa percent said they should (superjob.ru/research/articles/113101/tolko-13/).

            Meanwhile, in other pandemic-related developments from Russia today,

·         Interior ministry officials brough charges against 75 people for using fake vaccination certificates to enter places where they are required (regnum.ru/news/3389898.html).

 

·         Moscow Mayor Sergey Sobyanin said he would be starting a major covid testing program (kasparov.ru/material.php?id=615C641C7CE48).

·         And Moscow restarted air connections with Denmark, Peru, New Zealand, Djibouti and South Africa (regnum.ru/news/3389299.html).