Russia's Second Wave Sets New COVID-19 Antirecords

(16 October 2020)  Even recent history repeats, as we watch COVID-19 case and death counts rapidly increase across Russia as workers return from summer holidays and the new school year begins, we're reminded of the scenario that played out this summer in the United States as many states started to reopen in June-July 2020 after lockdowns. According to Rospotrebnadzor (a Russian agency publishing daily COVID-19 statistics), on 16 October, 15,150 new COVID-19 cases were reported and 232 died from the virus, exceeding the previous peak on May 29, 2020, in terms of new daily cases and deaths.

• The number of people who are currently infected by COVID-19 in Russia (so called 'active cases') is 297,725, which is an increase of 43,897 since mid-June and pushes the healthcare system toward maximum operating capacity.
• There is a notable shift in the location of reported new cases and deaths compared to earlier this year. In May, Moscow accounted for 60 percent of new cases and 44 percent of daily COVID-related deaths, while in October almost 70 percent of new cases and 80 percent of daily COVID-related deaths were reported in other regions across Russia.
• The cumulative number of confirmed cases in Russia has now surpassed 1.3 million and almost 23,000 have died due to the virus. The United States, India, and Brazil are the only countries globally with more cases than Russia. 

The Russian authorities seem to be avoiding adoption of full-scale lockdown policies. To date, despite Moscow's COVID figures and the fact that it makes up 20 percent of Russia's GDP, anti-COVID restrictions permit largely normal economic and social activity in the Moscow area with some adjustments. Restrictions within Moscow include: Recommendation that people over 65 and those with chronic diseases stay home; compulsory face masks and social distancing in public places; and reassignment of 30 percent of employees to remote work. No business closure requirements have been imposed, however, primary and secondary schools were ordered to close for two weeks starting on October 5.