Russian vaccine programme in race against time
Concerted manufacturing and vaccination drives come as total fatalities have doubled since mid-December
Source: Source: Vedomosti; RBC.ru; Moscow Times; Kremlin.ru; Rosstat; gogov.ru; Kommersant; Izvestia; Ria news agency; Reuters; AP; World Health Organization
Outlook
Although daily COVID-19 infection rates are trending downwards, officials including Deputy Health Minister Tatyana Semyonova have warned that a third wave is a real possibility. The head of the state medical biology agency says 25-30% of the population would have to be vaccinated within two or three months to avert this.
That target is some way off: officials say around 8% of the population has been vaccinated to date, including 3% with two doses. At current rates, 50% of the population may not be vaccinated until 2022, beyond the official target of 60% by August 2021.
Impacts
- Rosstat’s revised COVID-19 count of 162,000 COVID-related deaths would be the world’s third-highest figure for 2020, ahead of India.
- The Rosstat figure still accounts for only half the excess deaths recorded in Russia in 2020 (by comparison with 2019).
- A mix of popular vaccine scepticism and lack of information has left many Russians unaware of or blasé about the crisis.
See also
- Russia postpones vaccination targets as Delta strikes - Aug 2, 2021
- Russia will respond reluctantly to new COVID-19 threat - Jun 18, 2021
- Russia's legitimate vaccine diplomacy marred by lies - Mar 8, 2021
- Russia's vaccination progress falters as exports rise - Mar 5, 2021
- More graphic analysis