Russia is proud of Sputnik V, but vaccination rates are hopelessly lagging behind other countries

Recently, while walking through a supermarket in the north of Moscow, Vladimir Makarov saw that there, shoppers are simply offered to get vaccinated against coronavirus on the spot. And he asked how long the procedure would take.

“It turned out that it was all very simple: ten minutes,” said the man. It is true that Makarov, like many other Muscovites, still decided not to receive the Sputnik V vaccine.

Russia last year boasted that it was the first in the world to approve a coronavirus vaccine, but the country is not vaccinating the population smoothly and quickly. It is doubtful that the government will achieve its ambitious goal of vaccinating 30 million by mid-June. people, and in August – 69 million.

Vaccinations are not rushed, although at least in Moscow they are available to anyone over the age of 18. The doses are full of public and private clinics, supermarkets, hospitals, even the theater.

The pace is not high enough

As of mid-April, just over a million of the 12.7 million people living in Moscow have been vaccinated with at least one dose of the vaccine. Only 8%, although the vaccination campaign began in December.

Similar indicators, in other parts of Russia. By April 27, only 12 million. people had received at least one vaccine and only 7.7 million. (5%) were fully immunized. Nationwide: 146 million. population.

It is not difficult to compare the situation in Russia and the United States. For the Atlantic, 43 percent received at least one dose of the vaccine. people, and in the European Union – 27-28%.

Data analyst Alexander Dragan announced last week that Russia vaccinates an average of 200-205 thousand per day. people. To meet this mid-June target, the pace needs to be doubled.

Moscow authorities have already started offering a thousand. coupons worth rubles (11 euros) for people over 60 who have already been vaccinated.

“We need to start vaccinating 370 thousand. people a day. Basically tomorrow, as soon as possible, “said A. Dragan.

To increase people’s interest in the coronavirus vaccine, Moscow authorities have already started offering 1,000. coupons worth rubles (11 euros) for people over 60 who have already been vaccinated. That money really generates retirees who receive 20 thousand a month. rubles (223 euros).

But enthusiasm is still lacking. Moscow elders interviewed by the AP news agency also said that coupons are received only after registering online. It is not easy to find stores that accept these coupons.

Other regions also offer a kind of gingerbread. In Chukotka, officials promise older people 2 thousand. rubles (22 euros) per vaccination. In neighboring Magadan, the reward is double and the St. Petersburg theater offers discounted tickets if a vaccination certificate is presented.

Inconsistent signals to the public

According to experts, vaccination is stalling in Russia for several reasons, perhaps the most important: production capacity. The country’s vaccine manufacturers cannot produce enough doses, which were lacking in many regions in March.

So far, only 28 million tons have been produced in Russia. all two-dose vaccine complexes available in the country. And only 17.4 million. of which, after inspection, were removed from storage for use.

That is why, when it comes to the vaccination campaign in Russia, it is important to take into account not only the indifference of citizens, but also the fact that in some countries, even people who want to be vaccinated have to queue.

For example, in the Sverdlovsk region, which is the fifth most populous in Russia, in mid-April, up to 178,000 people were waiting in line to receive vaccines. people.

On the other hand, it is clear that Russians have doubts about the vaccine – at least Sputnik V – and that it has been approved in the country before large-scale clinical trials have been conducted to evaluate its safety and efficacy.

And although the Russian scientific journal The Lancet reported in February that the Russian vaccine was safe, doubts were not dispelled: a survey by an independent center in Levada soon showed that only 30 percent Russians want to get the “Sputnik V.”

According to Dragan, the Russian people probably do not like the fact that the government repeats that it has managed the pandemic, although such an assessment is probably too early.

After all, it’s no wonder officials are praising the Kremlin’s actions in controlling COVID-19. But Russians, hearing such praise and seeing that all public life is seething without restraint, according to A. Dragan, consider whether it is really worth vaccinating: “If the outbreak is over, who needs it?”

The Russian people probably also don’t like the fact that the government repeats that it has managed the pandemic, although such an assessment is probably too early.

“The signals from officials and the media are inconsistent. In 2020, Russians were bombarded with different messages. First, that the coronavirus is just a non-dangerous cold and then that it is a deadly infection.

In the end, Russians were forbidden to leave the house, “added Vasily Vlasov, a public health expert at the Moscow School of Economics.

Infections started to increase

V. Vlasov also noted that a narrative is developing in the Russian media that vaccines produced abroad are dangerous and Russian vaccines are not. State television diligently announced the investigation into the safety of the AstraZeneca and Johnson & Johnson vaccines, while announcing the success of Sputnik V overseas.

Of course, this success is conditional: Sputnik V has actually been bought by several countries, but the European Medicines Agency has yet to give the product the green light.

In any case, an extensive vaccine information campaign in Russia did not begin until the end of March. But here, too, celebrities and other public figures only spoke about how vaccinated they felt; there was not a single picture of how they were dosed. President Vladimir Putin has also not been publicly vaccinated.

“Yes, this is very fertile ground for conspiracy theories and their supporters,” Dragan said.

Rumors about the alleged dangers of vaccines on social media began to spread as early as December last year, when Russia began vaccinating against COVID-19. According to Alexander Archipova, a specialist in social anthropology, to date there is no shortage of theories.

Various theories, popular pseudoscientific programs on Russian television, problems with the production and distribution of vaccines – all this causes vaccination in the country to stop.

More and more foreigners are going to Russia who cannot get vaccinated at home. For example, in March in Moscow, only in a hotel, a group of Germans were vaccinated.

V. Vlasov, in turn, noted that the epidemic in Russia is far from over; on the contrary, there are indications that the number of infections is increasing.

“Now in Russia, on average, as many people a day as in May last year, during the peak of the pandemic. In addition, twice as many people die every day than a year ago,” explained V. Vlasov.

Government statistics say the number of infections is stable at 8-9 thousand. during the day. Deaths: 300-400 per day. However, the number of cases is growing in Moscow and the epidemic has gained momentum in seven more regions.

Meanwhile, more and more foreigners are going to Russia who cannot get vaccinated at home. For example, in March in Moscow, only in a hotel, a group of Germans were vaccinated.