When did COVID-19 first arrive in Russia?
Russia confirmed its first two COVID-19 cases on the 31st of January 2020. Both patients were Chinese nationals, one in Tyumen in Siberia and one in Chita in the Russian Far East.
Questions about COVID-19 pandemic in Russia
Short answers, pulled from the story.
How did Russia's official COVID-19 death toll compare to excess death estimates?
Russia's official tally fell significantly short of excess death data. Rosstat counted 114,268 deaths with a COVID-19 diagnosis between April and November 2020, while excess deaths over the same period exceeded 300,000. By November 2020 alone, all-cause deaths were 78,541 higher than in November 2019.
What was the Sputnik V vaccine and when was it registered?
Sputnik V was a coronavirus vaccine developed by Russia's Gamaleya Research Institute of Epidemiology and Microbiology. Russia registered it on the 11th of August 2020, declaring it the world's first approved coronavirus vaccine, before Phase III clinical trials had concluded.
What was Russia's COVID-19 vaccination rate by mid-2021?
By the 20th of July 2021-33.19 million people in Russia had received at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine, with 21.6 million fully vaccinated. Mass vaccination had begun in Moscow on the 5th of December 2020, starting with healthcare workers and teachers.
What did a November 2021 Levada poll reveal about Russian attitudes toward COVID-19?
A Levada Centre poll in November 2021 found that 61% of Russians believed COVID-19 was a biological weapon, with that belief most prevalent among respondents over 55, at 68%. Forty-eight percent said they were concerned about infection; 50% were not.
When did Russia lift COVID-19 restrictions?
Russia lifted most COVID-19 measures by the end of 2022, with officials declaring the situation under control. The pandemic had largely faded from public attention after Russia launched its invasion of Ukraine on the 24th of February 2022.