Kremlin reports rising demand for Covid-19 jabs as new rules imposed, but says goal to inject 60% of Russians by fall won’t be met
A previously announced national target to vaccinate 60% of Russians by the end of the summer will not be met, the Kremlin has revealed. The news comes despite more and more people signing up for the jab amid a new wave of cases.
Taking questions from journalists on Tuesday, presidential spokesman Dmitry Peskov said that it was “obvious” that the numbers would fall short of that goal. However, he added that “only this week have we seen the groups wishing to be vaccinated beginning to grow.”
Peskov said that hesitancy to get the jab had meant that the nationwide immunization program had got off to a slow start. Prior to the introduction of tough new measures, “the dynamism behind vaccination, unfortunately, was low.”
Also on rt.com Russia records highest official Covid-19 death toll since start of pandemic, as nation fights sharp rise in cases of Delta variantOn Tuesday, Russian officials reported the highest number of Covid-19 deaths in a single day since the start of the pandemic amid a resurgence in cases. Around 90% of new positive tests in the capital were found to involve the infectious new Delta variant, believed to be behind outbreaks among unvaccinated people in the US, UK and a range of other nations.
In the past few days, queues for appointments have been reported and at least two cities have run short of doses after tough new measures were put in place to control the spread of Covid-19 and increase the numbers of those being immunized.
Moscow has demanded that companies in sectors like hospitality, transport and leisure ensure that 60% of their staff are immunized, or else face hefty fines. Officials have confirmed that bosses can suspend employees without pay in order to meet the quotas. Comparable rules have now been put in place elsewhere, including in St. Petersburg.
From this week, the Russian capital is also requiring residents to scan a QR code when entering bars, cafes, pubs, food courts and other public spaces. Only those who have proof of vaccination or were officially recorded as a coronavirus case within the past six months will be eligible for unrestricted access, while others seeking admission indoors will have to provide a negative PCR test from within the previous three days.
Russia’s Human Rights Commissioner Tatyana Moskalkova has objected to the move, labeling it “a dishonest game.” She said that “the mechanisms by which it is being implemented are giving rise to mass psychosis and making people fear coercion.”
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