The city of Moscow announced on Tuesday, October 19, health restrictions, the first since the summer, in the face of the increase in contamination by the coronavirus and deaths due to Covid-19. For its part, the Kremlin is considering national measures to stem the spread of the virus. This wave caused by the Delta variant is getting worse after a previous outbreak this summer. It is amplified by a sluggish vaccination campaign and random compliance with distancing measures.
“The number of people hospitalized for serious cases is increasing every day”, said the mayor of the capital, Sergei Sobyanin, who ordered “Urgent measures” to protect the most vulnerable categories of the population, in particular the elderly.
The Moscow authorities have ordered the compulsory vaccination of 80% of service employees by 1er January 2022, the confinement of unvaccinated over 60s from October 25 to February 25 and the teleworking of“At least 30%” employees. “I understand how tiring and unpleasant the current restrictions are. But there is no other way to protect yourself against this serious illness ”, justified Mr. Sobianine.
These are the first restrictions ordered in Moscow since those gradually lifted from the end of July. In June, the capital had had a week off to curb the spread of the epidemic, then it had introduced for a few weeks a health pass, very unpopular and weighing on the economy.
Less than 35% of the population fully vaccinated
On Tuesday, Russia recorded a new record with 1,015 deaths from Covid-19 in twenty-four hours, bringing the government toll to more than 225,000 deaths – the heaviest in Europe. This number is however largely underestimated, the national agency of statistics Rosstat having, it, counted more than 400,000 deaths at the end of August.
In this context, the Deputy Prime Minister in charge of health, Tatiana Golikova, asked to declare unemployed throughout the country for the week of October 30 to November 7. President Vladimir Putin could decide on Wednesday. For the regions hardest hit by the epidemic, this measure could even come into force on October 23, according to Mr.me Golikova. Mr Putin has in the past decreed such holidays on several occasions, and Prime Minister Mikhail Michoustine said he was in favor on Tuesday.
The Kremlin has always preferred this measure, intended to limit the movement of people and, therefore, the virus, to preserve the economy, rather than confine the population.
Presidency spokesman Dmitry Peskov on Tuesday called on the Russians to be “More responsible” and to be vaccinated, when less than 35% of the population is fully immunized and is globally suspicious of Russian vaccines. Mr Peskov nevertheless admitted that the authorities had not done enough to explain to the Russians that“There is no other solution than vaccination”. “Now is the time for each of us to show some civic sense”, he added.
Before Moscow considered new health measures, several regions reintroduced the obligation to present a pass to access certain public places. On Monday, St. Petersburg, the country’s second city, announced the establishment of such a certificate from 1er November to access sporting or cultural events bringing together more than forty people, and from the 1er December to access restaurants and shops.