Pandemic-Driven Pessimism Greater in Moscow and Major Cities than Elsewhere, Poll Finds

Paul Goble

            Staunton, August 15 – A survey of 5,000 Russians across the country by the Center for Social Research finds the level of pessimism about the future is greater in Moscow and other major cities than elsewhere, a reflection of the fact that these cities were hit harder by the pandemic than anywhere else (polit.ru/article/2020/08/14/researchpandemia/).

            The Russian health ministry says that the industrial production of the Russian coronavirus vaccine has begun with the first batch released today. It adds that it will next months to produce enough for the country as a whole (regnum.ru/news/3037495.html,  regnum.ru/news/3037548.html and regnum.ru/news/3037463.html).

            Russian officials reported that 5061 new cases of infection had been registered over the last 24 hours, bringing that measure to a cumulative total of 917,884, as well as 114 additional births, bringing the toll since the beginning of the pandemic to 15,617 (zona.media/chronicle/krnaugust).

            The pandemic continued to ebb and flow across the country with re-openings and re-closings tracking that pattern (regnum.ru/news/society/3033993.html). Moscow also announced that it was resuming flights today between Moscow and Geneva (regnum.ru/news/3037472.html).

            Russian officials are expressing concern that the upcoming flu season, often accompanied by an increase in pneumonia cases as well, may be exacerbated this year by the continuing presence of the coronavirus and are urging Russians to be vaccinated against these other diseases as part of the fight against the pandemic (newsru.com/russia/14aug2020/sobyanin.html).

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

·         Officials continue to give prominence to the number of coronavirus infections in Khabarovsk, the far eastern Russian city still roiled by anti-government protests. Today, Moscow reported that 15,051 cases had been registered there since the start of the pandemic (regnum.ru/news/3037569.html).

·         A Chita salesclerk told a regional official that he doesn’t think the coronavirus exists and therefore is certain that there is absolutely no reason to require people to wear masks when they come to stores (chita.ru/news/149153/).