Where thousands or even tens of thousands of coronavirus infections are diagnosed in large parts of Europe, numbers in Russia remain remarkably low. Until Saturday, there were just over 300 recorded cases and zero deaths. How is that possible?
The authorities say this is the result of effective measures to prevent contamination. They point out that the borders were soon closed to travelers from high-risk countries such as China and Italy and that people from many other countries were urged to remain in isolation for two weeks after arriving in Russia.
Mass gatherings were banned, sports competitions shut down, cinemas, theaters and museums closed. People were advised to work from home. “The situation is under control,” said President Putin a few days ago.
Yet many cafes and restaurants in the center of Moscow are full. Most shopping centers are open as usual. There is no question that the Moscow metro will stop, the Moscow mayor says again and again. He denies reports of a complete lockdown in the Russian capital. This will not happen quickly in other (large) cities.
“Word Corona Taboo”
Here and there, however, voices sound that the situation is not so rosy at all. That the actual number of infections is much higher than the authorities say and that the situation in many state hospitals (private hospitals do not include corona patients) is dramatic. And then in cities like Moscow and St. Petersburg there is at least capacity and as yet sufficient medical personnel. Things get really upset when the virus spreads to the more remote areas of this huge country.
Most pronounced is the physician Anastasia Vasileva, who is close to opposition leader Aleksei Navalny and heads a union for medical personnel. In a video on YouTube, she said earlier this week that some hospitals are being turned into corona centers without being recognized. She also claims that doctors are banned from using the word corona in death certificates and should instead report that patients have died from pneumonia or another illness.
Pressure on doctors
Vasileva predicts that there will be a lot of pressure on doctors and nurses by the authorities. “They will intimidate you and even threaten to fire you, but those threats are nothing compared to the risk of infecting yourself and infecting your family members.”
Moscow City Council was quick to accuse Vasileva, and others expressing concern, of lies: “She is spreading disinformation about the outbreak of a new virus infection to discredit the medical sector in Russia and government agencies.”
It was added that Moscow is rapidly building a hospital for 500 corona patients. That capacity is in addition to that of three other clinics previously designated for that purpose.
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