themoscowtimes--2020-04-03--Moscow’s Coronavirus Quarantine, Explained

Moscow enacted a strict self-isolation order this week as city authorities seek to clamp down on the coronavirus pandemic that has infected nearly 3,000 of the Russian capital ’ s residents .
Mayor Sergei Sobyanin on Thursday extended the quarantine until at least May 1 , meaning 12 million people will be expected to stay in their homes for the next month with few exceptions .
Here ’ s an overview of what the citywide stay-at-home order means for Muscovites ’ everyday life : Residents can only leave their homes to go to the grocery store or pharmacy , to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ them to work outside the home , to take out the trash or to walk pets less than 100 meters from their building .
All other outdoor activity is banned , including jogging or exercising near your house .
People can also leave the house for medical emergencies , Sobyanin ’ s decree says , although elderly people are asked to call a doctor to their home instead .
Anyone who leaves their home is asked to maintain a space of at least 1.5 meters between themselves and other people .
Do I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ?
No .
While Moscow City Hall was considering implementing a QR code pass system that would require people to obtain the authorities ' permission to go outside , Sobyanin later said the city will hold off on such a system unless the coronavirus situation worsens or the number of self-isolation violations rises .
City authorities will monitor the movements of coronavirus patients being treated at home using a smartphone app .
Which stores are still open ?
Grocery stores , pharmacies and shops deemed to be selling “ essential ” goods — @ @ @ @ @ @ @ — will continue to operate .
All shops citywide are ordered to implement safety measures such as placing special markings to indicate a safe amount of distance between customers .
Yes .
The city ’ s below- and aboveground public transport continues to operate on a regular basis .
Taxis are also still available .
There are no restrictions imposed on corporate vehicles .
The validity of all unused transport tickets will be extended until after May 1 as long as the tickets were used less than six times during the self-isolation regime @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ?
Yes , with some stipulations .
People are still allowed to drive to get groceries or to go to other stores if they can ’ t be reached on foot .
Traveling by car to another part of the city or outside the city is only allowed for “ serious ” needs .
Moscow residents may now only ride together in a private vehicle if they live at the same address , Moscow City Duma speaker Alexei Shaposhnikov said .
Police may randomly stop cars to run an ID check and ask @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Those found to be violating the self-isolation order by using a personal vehicle will face a 5,000 ruble ( $ 63 ) fine and their car could be impounded .
Yes .
There are currently no restrictions on leaving or entering the city .
Can I visit my relatives or friends at their apartments ?
Can I have food delivered to my apartment ?
Yes .
Food and grocery delivery services are continuing to operate as normal .
Can I go to work ?
People whose jobs require them to leave their @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is able to work remotely is required to work from home .
Do I have to pay my utility bills ?
Yes , with some exceptions .
Elderly residents and people with chronic diseases will have their late utility payment fines canceled , for example .
Can I go to the bank ?
Banks will continue to operate as usual , but some locations may work with reduced hours as more people use online banking .
Some banks have also moved some of their staffers to remote work , possibly prolonging wait times @ @ @ @ @ @ @ registered ?
Yes .
Registration dates can also be rescheduled online if needed .
Can I take my pet to the veterinarian ?
Veterinary clinics are closed for regular appointments but continue to operate on an on-call basis for emergencies .
Pet owners can sign up for a public clinic through the city ’ s mos.ru portal or through the `` Moscow Public Services '' smartphone app .
What are the punishments for violating self-isolation ?
Sobyanin has signed a city ordinance imposing fines for those found to be violating the city 's @ @ @ @ @ @ @ up to 4,000 rubles ( $ 50 ) for first-time offenses and up to 5,000 rubles ( $ 63 ) for repeat offenses .
Businesses will be fined up to 40,000 rubles ( $ 500 ) for violating the order .
Legal entities will be fined up to 300,000 rubles ( $ 3,800 ) for first-time offenses and up to 500,000 rubles ( $ 6,300 ) for repeat offenses .
A federal law signed by President Vladimir Putin punishes quarantine violators by up to seven years in jail if the violation leads to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ last ?
According to the mayor ’ s decree , these restrictions are indefinite .
`` So far , there is no understanding of what date this high-alert mode will end , '' Sobyanin 's spokeswoman Gulnara Penkova told the RBC news website .

Moscow enacted a strict self-isolation order this week as city authorities seek to clamp down on the coronavirus pandemic that has infected nearly 3,000 of the Russian capital’s residents.
Mayor Sergei Sobyanin on Thursday extended the quarantine until at least May 1, meaning 12 million people will be expected to stay in their homes for the next month with few exceptions.
Here’s an overview of what the citywide stay-at-home order means for Muscovites’ everyday life:
Can I leave my house?
Residents can only leave their homes to go to the grocery store or pharmacy, to go to work if their job requires them to work outside the home, to take out the trash or to walk pets less than 100 meters from their building. All other outdoor activity is banned, including jogging or exercising near your house.
People can also leave the house for medical emergencies, Sobyanin’s decree says, although elderly people are asked to call a doctor to their home instead.
Anyone who leaves their home is asked to maintain a space of at least 1.5 meters between themselves and other people.
Do I need a pass to leave my house?
No. While Moscow City Hall was considering implementing a QR code pass system that would require people to obtain the authorities' permission to go outside, Sobyanin later said the city will hold off on such a system unless the coronavirus situation worsens or the number of self-isolation violations rises.
City authorities will monitor the movements of coronavirus patients being treated at home using a smartphone app.
Which stores are still open?
Grocery stores, pharmacies and shops deemed to be selling “essential” goods — such as pet stores and telecom stores — will continue to operate.
All shops citywide are ordered to implement safety measures such as placing special markings to indicate a safe amount of distance between customers.
Is public transport still running?
Yes. The city’s below- and aboveground public transport continues to operate on a regular basis. Taxis are also still available. There are no restrictions imposed on corporate vehicles.
The validity of all unused transport tickets will be extended until after May 1 as long as the tickets were used less than six times during the self-isolation regime.
Can I use my personal car?
Yes, with some stipulations. People are still allowed to drive to get groceries or to go to other stores if they can’t be reached on foot. Traveling by car to another part of the city or outside the city is only allowed for “serious” needs.
Moscow residents may now only ride together in a private vehicle if they live at the same address, Moscow City Duma speaker Alexei Shaposhnikov said.
Police may randomly stop cars to run an ID check and ask drivers for the purpose of their trip. Those found to be violating the self-isolation order by using a personal vehicle will face a 5,000 ruble ($63) fine and their car could be impounded.
Can I leave or enter Moscow?
Yes. There are currently no restrictions on leaving or entering the city.
Are gas stations open?
Yes.
Can I visit my relatives or friends at their apartments?
No.
Can I have food delivered to my apartment?
Yes. Food and grocery delivery services are continuing to operate as normal.
Can I go to work?
People whose jobs require them to leave their homes may do so. Everyone who is able to work remotely is required to work from home.
Do I have to pay my utility bills?
Yes, with some exceptions. Elderly residents and people with chronic diseases will have their late utility payment fines canceled, for example.
Can I go to the bank?
Banks will continue to operate as usual, but some locations may work with reduced hours as more people use online banking. Some banks have also moved some of their staffers to remote work, possibly prolonging wait times.
Are marriages and divorces still being registered?
Yes. Registration dates can also be rescheduled online if needed.
Can I take my pet to the veterinarian?
Veterinary clinics are closed for regular appointments but continue to operate on an on-call basis for emergencies. Pet owners can sign up for a public clinic through the city’s mos.ru portal or through the "Moscow Public Services" smartphone app.
What are the punishments for violating self-isolation?
Sobyanin has signed a city ordinance imposing fines for those found to be violating the city's self-isolation orders. Individuals will be fined up to 4,000 rubles ($50) for first-time offenses and up to 5,000 rubles ($63) for repeat offenses. Businesses will be fined up to 40,000 rubles ($500) for violating the order. Legal entities will be fined up to 300,000 rubles ($3,800) for first-time offenses and up to 500,000 rubles ($6,300) for repeat offenses.
A federal law signed by President Vladimir Putin punishes quarantine violators by up to seven years in jail if the violation leads to multiple deaths.
How long will this last?
According to the mayor’s decree, these restrictions are indefinite. "So far, there is no understanding of what date this high-alert mode will end," Sobyanin's spokeswoman Gulnara Penkova told the RBC news website.


themoscowtimes--2020-04-03--St. Petersburg Medics Appeal for Protective Gear as Coronavirus Spreads

Pokrovskaya Hospital in Russia ’ s second-biggest city has been repurposed alongside two other existing facilities to accommodate a potential influx of coronavirus patients this week .
St. Petersburg is Russia ’ s third-most affected locality with 156 out of the country ’ s 4,149 confirmed Covid-19 cases .
Doctors at one of St. Petersburg ’ s top hospitals have filmed a video appeal asking the public for protective gear as they prepare to admit coronavirus patients .
“ We asked our management in writing for personal protective equipment from the hospital ’ s own funds .
Sadly , we @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said .
In a video shared by St. Petersburg ’ s Fontanka.ru news website , the doctors said they also lack medication and oxygen .
“ We ’ re not refusing to work .
We love our patients and want everyone to recover , but it ’ s impossible to work in such vulnerable conditions , ” they said .
The hospital ’ s chief , Marina Bakholdina , denied the doctors ’ claims about an equipment shortage .
Her employees ’ video appeal follows criticism aimed at Russia for sending humanitarian aid @ @ @ @ @ @ @ against coronavirus to other countries in the face of a shortage at home .
Russia has sent protective gear , disinfectants and other equipment to Italy , the United States and Serbia in past weeks .

Pokrovskaya Hospital in Russia’s second-biggest city has been repurposed alongside two other existing facilities to accommodate a potential influx of coronavirus patients this week. St. Petersburg is Russia’s third-most affected locality with 156 out of the country’s 4,149 confirmed Covid-19 cases.
Doctors at one of St. Petersburg’s top hospitals have filmed a video appeal asking the public for protective gear as they prepare to admit coronavirus patients.
“We asked our management in writing for personal protective equipment from the hospital’s own funds. Sadly, we were denied,” the Pokrovskaya doctors said.
In a video shared by St. Petersburg’s Fontanka.ru news website, the doctors said they also lack medication and oxygen.
“We’re not refusing to work. We love our patients and want everyone to recover, but it’s impossible to work in such vulnerable conditions,” they said.
The hospital’s chief, Marina Bakholdina, denied the doctors’ claims about an equipment shortage.
Her employees’ video appeal follows criticism aimed at Russia for sending humanitarian aid or selling medical supplies for the fight against coronavirus to other countries in the face of a shortage at home.
Russia has sent protective gear, disinfectants and other equipment to Italy, the United States and Serbia in past weeks.


themoscowtimes--2020-04-03--Moscow’s Air Pollution Drops As Coronavirus Lockdown Sets In

The Russian capital has ranked as one of the most polluted cities in the country due to heavy traffic congestion which releases toxic fumes .
Mayor Sergei Sobyanin ordered a strict citywide stay-at-home regime starting Monday in a move to slow the spread of the coronavirus .
Air pollution in Moscow has significantly fallen as the coronavirus pandemic has pushed the city ’ s 12 million residents indoors and shuttered all nonessential business , the pro-Kremlin Izvestia newspaper reported Friday .
Moscow 's air quality index ( AQI ) over the past six months .
A noticeable decline in pollutant @ @ @ @ @ @ @ February .
Concentrations of pollutants including carbon monoxide ( CO ) and sulfur dioxide ( SO2 ) in the air fell fivefold almost instantly after the self-isolation order entered into force , Izvestia reported , citing the city ’ s environmental watchdog Mosekomonitoring .
Mosekomonitoring compared emissions levels from Monday and Tuesday with those seen last weekend , before the lockdown went into force .
Average CO concentrations decreased by at least three times in the city center alone , the watchdog said .
Breathing polluted air has been linked to a number @ @ @ @ @ @ @ disease and lung cancer .
Anatoly Tsygankov , the department head at Russia ’ s state weather and environment service ( Roshydromet ) , told The Moscow Times that the city ’ s lockdown and widespread shutdown of businesses has made the air noticeably clearer .
“ It is quite visible for everyone , especially for those who live on the upper floors of apartment buildings .
If you look at the city from above , it is apparent that the [ atmosphere ] has become clearer , ” Tsygankov said .
Yevgeny @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Fobos weather center , told The Moscow Times that the lockdown has “ absolutely ” affected the city ’ s environmental situation , describing the coronavirus as “ a kind of janitor ” for the atmosphere .

Air pollution in Moscow has significantly fallen as the coronavirus pandemic has pushed the city’s 12 million residents indoors and shuttered all nonessential business, the pro-Kremlin Izvestia newspaper reported Friday. The Russian capital has ranked as one of the most polluted cities in the country due to heavy traffic congestion which releases toxic fumes. Mayor Sergei Sobyanin ordered a strict citywide stay-at-home regime starting Monday in a move to slow the spread of the coronavirus.
Moscow's air quality index (AQI) over the past six months. A noticeable decline in pollutant concentrations can be seen starting in late February. air.plumelabs.com
Concentrations of pollutants including carbon monoxide (CO) and sulfur dioxide (SO2) in the air fell fivefold almost instantly after the self-isolation order entered into force, Izvestia reported, citing the city’s environmental watchdog Mosekomonitoring. Mosekomonitoring compared emissions levels from Monday and Tuesday with those seen last weekend, before the lockdown went into force. Average CO concentrations decreased by at least three times in the city center alone, the watchdog said. Breathing polluted air has been linked to a number of health problems including stroke, heart disease and lung cancer. Anatoly Tsygankov, the department head at Russia’s state weather and environment service (Roshydromet), told The Moscow Times that the city’s lockdown and widespread shutdown of businesses has made the air noticeably clearer. “It is quite visible for everyone, especially for those who live on the upper floors of apartment buildings. If you look at the city from above, it is apparent that the [atmosphere] has become clearer,” Tsygankov said. Yevgeny Tishkovets, the leading meteorologist at the Fobos weather center, told The Moscow Times that the lockdown has “absolutely” affected the city’s environmental situation, describing the coronavirus as “a kind of janitor” for the atmosphere.


themoscowtimes--2020-04-03--Russia Sends Military Coronavirus Aid to Serbia

Russia ’ s Defense Ministry pledged to send 11 flights with 87 army medics to Serbia after President Vladimir Putin spoke with Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic by phone Thursday .
The first three transport planes with army medics and equipment departed an airfield outside Moscow earlier Friday .
Russia has sent military medics and equipment to Serbia , the latest country Moscow is helping to fight the global coronavirus pandemic as it also flexes its soft power muscles .
“ The aircraft will deliver a forward team of military doctors , virology and epidemiology specialists with modern diagnosis and disinfection @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Ministry in Moscow said .
The eight medical teams also consist of chemical , biological and nuclear defense troops for disinfection , as well as 16 pieces of military equipment , it said .
Serbia , which declared a state of emergency to slow the spread of the deadly virus , reported a total of 1,171 coronavirus cases and 31 fatalities Friday .
Russia ’ s official tally stands at 4,149 coronavirus cases and 34 deaths .
Both countries have strong political , military and economic ties due to their shared Slavic and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Serbia ’ s refusal to recognize its former province of Kosovo as an independent country .
Russia previously sent similar coronavirus shipments to the United States and Italy , both epicenters of the pandemic .
The deliveries drew criticism that the countries handed Moscow , which has been under Western sanctions for six years , a public relations coup .

Russia’s Defense Ministry pledged to send 11 flights with 87 army medics to Serbia after President Vladimir Putin spoke with Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic by phone Thursday. The first three transport planes with army medics and equipment departed an airfield outside Moscow earlier Friday.
Russia has sent military medics and equipment to Serbia, the latest country Moscow is helping to fight the global coronavirus pandemic as it also flexes its soft power muscles.
“The aircraft will deliver a forward team of military doctors, virology and epidemiology specialists with modern diagnosis and disinfection equipment” to Belgrade, the Defense Ministry in Moscow said.
The eight medical teams also consist of chemical, biological and nuclear defense troops for disinfection, as well as 16 pieces of military equipment, it said.
Serbia, which declared a state of emergency to slow the spread of the deadly virus, reported a total of 1,171 coronavirus cases and 31 fatalities Friday. Russia’s official tally stands at 4,149 coronavirus cases and 34 deaths.
Both countries have strong political, military and economic ties due to their shared Slavic and Orthodox Christian heritage. Russia also backs Serbia’s refusal to recognize its former province of Kosovo as an independent country.
Russia previously sent similar coronavirus shipments to the United States and Italy, both epicenters of the pandemic.
The deliveries drew criticism that the countries handed Moscow, which has been under Western sanctions for six years, a public relations coup.


themoscowtimes--2020-04-03--Controversial Soviet-Era Statue Removed in Prague

Plans to remove the bronze statue of Soviet general Ivan Konev triggered a sharp reaction from Moscow last year .
Prague authorities on Friday said they had removed a controversial Soviet-era statue , despite protests from Moscow , to make way for a World War II memorial .
While Konev is regarded as a hero in Russia , many Czechs see him as a symbol of Soviet-era oppression .
He led Red Army troops that liberated Prague from the Nazis in 1945 , but he was also in charge of Operation Whirlwind , which crushed the anti-Soviet Hungarian Uprising of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Kolar told the Czech CTK news agency that Konev 's statue would be placed in a `` museum dedicated to the history of the 20th century in Czechoslovakia . ''
Pro-Russian Czech President Milos Zeman echoed Russian outrage over the move as `` an abuse of the state of emergency , '' referring to a government-imposed lockdown to stem the spread of the deadly novel coronavirus .
On Aug. 21 , 2019 , the anniversary of the 1968 invasion of Czechoslovakia , someone sprayed `` No to the blood-covered marshal , we shall @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that was erected by the then communist regime in 1980 .
Prague city hall then covered up the statue , but pro-Konev protesters tore down the tarp and held a rally in its support .

Plans to remove the bronze statue of Soviet general Ivan Konev triggered a sharp reaction from Moscow last year.
Prague authorities on Friday said they had removed a controversial Soviet-era statue, despite protests from Moscow, to make way for a World War II memorial.
While Konev is regarded as a hero in Russia, many Czechs see him as a symbol of Soviet-era oppression.
He led Red Army troops that liberated Prague from the Nazis in 1945, but he was also in charge of Operation Whirlwind, which crushed the anti-Soviet Hungarian Uprising of 1956.
Prague district 6 mayor Ondrej Kolar told the Czech CTK news agency that Konev's statue would be placed in a "museum dedicated to the history of the 20th century in Czechoslovakia."
Pro-Russian Czech President Milos Zeman echoed Russian outrage over the move as "an abuse of the state of emergency," referring to a government-imposed lockdown to stem the spread of the deadly novel coronavirus.
On Aug. 21, 2019, the anniversary of the 1968 invasion of Czechoslovakia, someone sprayed "No to the blood-covered marshal, we shall not forget" on Konev's statue that was erected by the then communist regime in 1980.
Prague city hall then covered up the statue, but pro-Konev protesters tore down the tarp and held a rally in its support.


themoscowtimes--2020-04-03--'A City That Could Be the Russian Bergamo.' How Ulyanovsk Is Preparing for the Coronavirus Pandemic.

“ Oh , come on !
Virus ?
What virus ?
” Olga , a 35-year-old businesswoman waved her hand dismissively .
“ It ’ s a conspiracy , not a virus .
Whose conspiracy ?
The Chinese , who do you think ?
!
They released it so they could get ahead of Europe and Russia and rule the world .
They ’ ve got a vaccine for it.
” Olga , a native of Ulyanovsk , a city of 600,000 on the Volga River , is parroting a point of view that ’ s popular in the city @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s “ just sick old people and people with AIDS ” who are dying ; and the whole point of the quarantine is “ to ruin business.
” Ulyanovsk is 850 kilometers southwest of Moscow on a picturesque spot on the Volga .
But the roads are bad , every other streetlight is broken , and the governor encourages residents to give birth on Russia Day to win a UAS jeep .
The jeeps are produced here , in Vladimir Lenin ’ s birthplace .
Tens of millions of Russians live in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Coronavirus , which many people in Ulyanovsk still don ’ t believe in , came to the city unexpectedly .
It was brought in by the son of a deputy in the local regional parliament , Mikhail Rozhkov .
The teenager , who has been attending school in England , flew home , didn ’ t feel well and began to cough .
His influential father whisked him to a hospital — actually , to several hospitals , because it was hard to find the test kits that are supposedly in large supply @ @ @ @ @ @ @ pull to get his son tested .
They found him positive for coronavirus and put him in the local children ’ s infectious diseases hospital .
Rozhkov apologized on Facebook : “ We are truly sorry and very upset that this problem isn ’ t just in our family , but in the entire region .
And we also apologize if we didn ’ t observe self-isolation properly.
” And that ’ s how Ulyanovsk found out about the virus .
Since then the statistics for cases of coronavirus in the region haven @ @ @ @ @ @ @ But local doctors don ’ t believe those statistics .
And in private conversations , they admit that the region is probably not prepared to handle a large-scale epidemic .
The main public figure reporting on coronavirus is Sergei Morozov , the head of the region .
Every day he tapes a video address with an update on the epidemic .
The city residents say , “ Who else but Morozov is going to do it ?
” That ’ s because the chief specialist in infection diseases for the Ulyanovsk regional health @ @ @ @ @ @ @ quarantine herself after coming back from a trip to the UK in March .
The governor is not shy about declaring victory in the battle with the pandemic .
“ We ’ ve been able to win a week — that ’ s a solid amount of time , ” he announced , assuming that the first case of the virus was registered later than in neighboring regions .
But specialists don ’ t think this fact speaks well for the region .
The region is economically depressed , and people travel significantly @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the relatively wealthier Samara or Kazan regions .
No one really goes anywhere because they can ’ t afford it .
But the governor maintains that the region is completely ready to take on the virus .
He says that there are 203 beds in infectious diseases units , and if need be , their number can be increased to 700 .
The regional health department reports that there are 436 ventilators .
They say they just purchased another 12 and have put in a request for another 250 .
They have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ suspected of having the virus and insist that “ people in the high-risk group are constantly being tested.
” “ Every day about 100 tests are conducted , ” the governor says .
The authorities quickly organized repairs to the local infectious disease units .
But the money allocated is very modest .
Eight million rubles ( about $ 105,000 ) was allocated from the regional budget to update the infectious diseases units of the Novoulyanovsk city hospital , where residents who coming from abroad are kept for observation if they can ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ City Clinical Hospital is just finishing the first phase of upgrades .
More than 5 million rubles were allocated ( about $ 65,000 ) , but the doctors joke that the sum will pretty much just cover painting the toilets and fixing door latches .
The hospital is an old building in bad shape .
A representative of the regional health department wishing to remain anonymous said that they are painting the walls pink and “ using brackets to pull the cracks in the walls together.
” “ How can you speak about @ @ @ @ @ @ @ repair work two weeks ago ?
They haven ’ t even hung all the doors , finished the tiling or laid down linoleum .
They still need to update the ventilation system .
Apparently , the old system was in such bad shape that it barely worked .
All we can do is hope that they won ’ t bring patients here any time soon.
” In the infectious diseases ward at the Clinical Hospital , they ’ ve put down the subflooring for the linoleum , prepped and patched the walls .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ chief doctor , said that in the next phase they plan to connect the 70 wards to a new ventilation system that meets current standards .
But that hasn ’ t been done yet .
Many of the doctors The Moscow Times spoke with said they thought the good “ statistics were exaggerated.
” “ They said that we have 436 ventilators in the region .
But how are they counting them ?
They dragged old ventilators out of storage , including some that just don ’ t work or have been written @ @ @ @ @ @ @ trying to get them up and running .
It ’ s like a kid with crayons : they ’ ve got a hundred of them , but they actually only use a dozen .
It ’ s the same thing here , ” a local doctor familiar with the situation said .
The same doctor also noted that the working ventilators are not tucked away in corners .
“ The virus is one thing .
But no one has called a moratorium on heart attacks , strokes or car accidents .
We always @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the doctor explained , “ We can ’ t just put 400 ventilators in one place and work with them .
It ’ s physically impossible .
That ’ s why these figures just make for pretty statistics — to show how great everything is organized , ” the doctor said .
A pediatrician in Ulyanovsk , Dmitry Malykh , told The Moscow Times that there was a catastrophic shortage of personal protective equipment for both medical personnel and residents .
“ There are no medical masks for sale in pharmacies and a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ suits in medical centers .
I personally buy respirators for my own use with my own money and pay way more than official prices .
There just aren ’ t enough , so the market dictates the price.
” He said that doctors and nurses have been forced to sew their own masks out of diapers and cheesecloth .
And there is now a region-wide shortage of cheesecloth .
Another doctor in one of the city hospitals said that they had been issued disposable robes , “ the kind they sell in hardware @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ) apiece .
It ’ s a travesty .
We ’ re essentially working without any protection .
The nurses weren ’ t issued anything at all.
” Malykh says that the question most frequently asked by patients is : What can we expect in the near term ?
“ I think the quarantine will be extended for another 3-6 weeks .
I must say that although quarantine measures were instituted late , it looks like they are being enforced .
I believe we can get through this , and I hope that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ care will be able to manage this perfect epidemiological storm.
” He said that at present 654 people are under observation .
“ Those are the official figures .
But it ’ s hard to tell if that ’ s the real situation or just something to keep people calm.
” People under observation are not in medical centers but at home , and if their symptoms become worse , they have to contact the health department .
“ This could be the next Bergamo ” Alexei Kuriny , a deputy in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the city assembly health committee , told The Moscow Times that the biggest problem is diagnostics .
“ We still don ’ t have a functioning system of screening and so we can ’ t make even approximate estimations of the scale of the problem .
A very small group of people are being tested , and those figures are not likely to give a complete picture of the epidemic here .
And then we need to be able to find the paths of infection and cut them off .
That ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Kuriny is a specialist in this area .
A doctor with a Ph.D. in medicine , he once headed the Ulyanovsk city ambulance and urgent care service .
In his opinion , if the epidemic follows the “ Italian scenario ” in Russia , the Ulyanovsk region might turn into Bergamo .
“ We don ’ t have enough ventilators , and there are no trustworthy figures on how many we really have .
First , they said there were 325 , then 436 .
But those figures can ’ t be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ completely outdated .
Realistically , I think we could free up less than 100 ventilators , and probably half would break down .
We are also short on parts for them , like valves.
” He also said that a lot of the doctors “ are completely unprotected.
” “ What do you expect when doctors don ’ t even have basic masks ?
There aren ’ t any respirators and protective gear .
We also have a shortage of ICU anesthesiologists .
We have to immediately retrain doctors .
I estimate that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the number of patients tops 800-1,000 , the local health system won ’ t be able to handle it , ” Kuriny said .

Читайте русскую версию здесь. “Oh, come on! Virus? What virus?” Olga, a 35-year-old businesswoman waved her hand dismissively. “It’s a conspiracy, not a virus. Whose conspiracy? The Chinese, who do you think?! They released it so they could get ahead of Europe and Russia and rule the world. They’ve got a vaccine for it.” Olga, a native of Ulyanovsk, a city of 600,000 on the Volga River, is parroting a point of view that’s popular in the city: There is no epidemic; it’s “just sick old people and people with AIDS” who are dying;and the whole point of the quarantine is “to ruin business.” Ulyanovsk is 850 kilometers southwest of Moscow on a picturesque spot on the Volga. But the roads are bad, every other streetlight is broken, and the governor encourages residents to give birth on Russia Day to win a UAS jeep. The jeeps are produced here, in Vladimir Lenin’s birthplace. Tens of millions of Russians live in cities like this all over Russia. Coronavirus, which many people in Ulyanovsk still don’t believe in, came to the city unexpectedly. It was brought in by the son of a deputy in the local regional parliament, Mikhail Rozhkov. The teenager, who has been attending school in England, flew home, didn’t feel well and began to cough. His influential father whisked him to a hospital — actually, to several hospitals, because it was hard to find the test kits that are supposedly in large supply everywhere. The deputy used all his pull to get his son tested. They found him positive for coronavirus and put him in the local children’s infectious diseases hospital. Rozhkov apologized on Facebook: “We are truly sorry and very upset that this problem isn’t just in our family, but in the entire region. And we also apologize if we didn’t observe self-isolation properly.” And that’s how Ulyanovsk found out about the virus. Since then the statistics for cases of coronavirus in the region haven’t changed: one person. But local doctors don’t believe those statistics. And in private conversations, they admit that the region is probably not prepared to handle a large-scale epidemic.
“Painting toilets and fixing door latches”
The main public figure reporting on coronavirus is Sergei Morozov, the head of the region. Every day he tapes a video address with an update on the epidemic. The city residents say, “Who else but Morozov is going to do it?” That’s because the chief specialist in infection diseases for the Ulyanovsk regional health department, Galina Savinova, is under quarantine herself after coming back from a trip to the UK in March. The governor is not shy about declaring victory in the battle with the pandemic. “We’ve been able to win a week — that’s a solid amount of time,” he announced, assuming that the first case of the virus was registered later than in neighboring regions. But specialists don’t think this fact speaks well for the region. The region is economically depressed, and people travel significantly less than, for example, residents of the relatively wealthier Samara or Kazan regions. No one really goes anywhere because they can’t afford it. But the governor maintains that the region is completely ready to take on the virus. He says that there are 203 beds in infectious diseases units, and if need be, their number can be increased to 700. The regional health department reports that there are 436 ventilators. They say they just purchased another 12 and have put in a request for another 250. They have set up three isolation wards for people suspected of having the virus and insist that “people in the high-risk group are constantly being tested.” “Every day about 100 tests are conducted,” the governor says. The authorities quickly organized repairs to the local infectious disease units. But the money allocated is very modest. Eight million rubles (about $105,000) was allocated from the regional budget to update the infectious diseases units of the Novoulyanovsk city hospital, where residents who coming from abroad are kept for observation if they can’t self-isolate at home. The Central City Clinical Hospital is just finishing the first phase of upgrades. More than 5 million rubles were allocated (about $65,000), but the doctors joke that the sum will pretty much just cover painting the toilets and fixing door latches. The hospital is an old building in bad shape. A representative of the regional health department wishing to remain anonymous said that they are painting the walls pink and “using brackets to pull the cracks in the walls together.” “How can you speak about real preparedness if they just started the repair work two weeks ago? They haven’t even hung all the doors, finished the tiling or laid down linoleum. They still need to update the ventilation system. Apparently, the old system was in such bad shape that it barely worked. All we can do is hope that they won’t bring patients here any time soon.” In the infectious diseases ward at the Clinical Hospital, they’ve put down the subflooring for the linoleum, prepped and patched the walls. Ilya Midlenko, the hospital’s chief doctor, said that in the next phase they plan to connect the 70 wards to a new ventilation system that meets current standards. But that hasn’t been done yet.
“Sewing masks out of diapers”
Many of the doctors The Moscow Times spoke with said they thought the good “statistics were exaggerated.” “They said that we have 436 ventilators in the region. But how are they counting them? They dragged old ventilators out of storage, including some that just don’t work or have been written off. And now they’re trying to get them up and running. It’s like a kid with crayons: they’ve got a hundred of them, but they actually only use a dozen. It’s the same thing here,” a local doctor familiar with the situation said. The same doctor also noted that the working ventilators are not tucked away in corners. “The virus is one thing. But no one has called a moratorium on heart attacks, strokes or car accidents. We always have patients on ventilators.” And, the doctor explained, “We can’t just put 400 ventilators in one place and work with them. It’s physically impossible. That’s why these figures just make for pretty statistics — to show how great everything is organized,” the doctor said. A pediatrician in Ulyanovsk, Dmitry Malykh, told The Moscow Times that there was a catastrophic shortage of personal protective equipment for both medical personnel and residents. “There are no medical masks for sale in pharmacies and a complete lack of professional respirators and biohazard suits in medical centers. I personally buy respirators for my own use with my own money and pay way more than official prices. There just aren’t enough, so the market dictates the price.” He said that doctors and nurses have been forced to sew their own masks out of diapers and cheesecloth. And there is now a region-wide shortage of cheesecloth. Another doctor in one of the city hospitals said that they had been issued disposable robes, “the kind they sell in hardware stores for 138 rubles ($1.50) apiece. It’s a travesty. We’re essentially working without any protection. The nurses weren’t issued anything at all.” Malykh says that the question most frequently asked by patients is: What can we expect in the near term? “I think the quarantine will be extended for another 3-6 weeks. I must say that although quarantine measures were instituted late, it looks like they are being enforced. I believe we can get through this, and I hope that the regional and national system of health care will be able to manage this perfect epidemiological storm.” He said that at present 654 people are under observation. “Those are the official figures. But it’s hard to tell if that’s the real situation or just something to keep people calm.” People under observation are not in medical centers but at home, and if their symptoms become worse, they have to contact the health department.
“This could be the next Bergamo”


themoscowtimes--2020-04-01--Russia Reserves $18Bln to Counter Coronavirus Crisis

Mishustin told the president , who is working remotely due to the virus , that the government is drafting new measures that focus on propping up regional economies and supporting small- and medium-sized enterprises ( SMEs ) .
The finance ministry `` has reserved 1.4 trillion rubles ( $ 17.8 billion ) in all for fighting the spread of the coronavirus and carrying out anti-crisis measures , '' Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin told President Vladimir Putin during a televised video conference with his cabinet .
Russia has earmarked almost $ 18 billion to battle the coronavirus pandemic , the prime @ @ @ @ @ @ @ strict lockdown .
Putin has already announced breaks on consumer loans and mortgage payments , support for SMEs and early payment of social benefits for Russians who are hit by the crisis .
Last week he unveiled other measures to protect poorer Russians from economic effects of the pandemic .
A strict lockdown has been put in place across almost all regions , and parliament has approved a coronavirus-focused package of legislation including prison terms of up to seven years for those who cause multiple deaths by flouting protective measures .
The Russian @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to global virus panic and falling oil prices , prompting the central bank to increase sales of foreign currency .
On March 16 , Mishustin said the government would provide 300 billion rubles ( $ 3.8 billion at the current exchange rate ) to help struggling sectors including tourism and airlines .
On Wednesday he said that airlines would receive 1.5 billion rubles ( $ 19 million ) in compensation for evacuating Russians stranded abroad .

Mishustin told the president, who is working remotely due to the virus, that the government is drafting new measures that focus on propping up regional economies and supporting small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs).
The finance ministry "has reserved 1.4 trillion rubles ($17.8 billion) in all for fighting the spread of the coronavirus and carrying out anti-crisis measures," Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin told President Vladimir Putin during a televised video conference with his cabinet.
Russia has earmarked almost $18 billion to battle the coronavirus pandemic, the prime minister said Wednesday as Moscow imposed a strict lockdown.
Putin has already announced breaks on consumer loans and mortgage payments, support for SMEs and early payment of social benefits for Russians who are hit by the crisis.
Last week he unveiled other measures to protect poorer Russians from economic effects of the pandemic.
Russia has officially confirmed 2,777 coronavirus cases and 24 deaths.
A strict lockdown has been put in place across almost all regions, and parliament has approved a coronavirus-focused package of legislation including prison terms of up to seven years for those who cause multiple deaths by flouting protective measures.
The Russian ruble has tumbled in recent weeks owing to global virus panic and falling oil prices, prompting the central bank to increase sales of foreign currency.
On March 16, Mishustin said the government would provide 300 billion rubles ($3.8 billion at the current exchange rate) to help struggling sectors including tourism and airlines.
On Wednesday he said that airlines would receive 1.5 billion rubles ($19 million) in compensation for evacuating Russians stranded abroad.


themoscowtimes--2020-04-04--Deadly Gas Explosion at Residential Building Near Moscow

An apparent gas explosion ripped through a five-storey residential building outside Moscow on Saturday , demolishing part of the low-rise @ @ @ @ @ According to the Ministry of Emergency Situations , one person was killed in the gas @ @ @ @ @ injured .
A source told Interfax news agency that a section of the brick building @ @ @ @ @ Orekhovo-Zuyevo .
The gas explosion took place during a quarantine after authorities ordered Russians to @ @ @ @ @ spread of the coronavirus .

Two people were killed and six injured when a gas explosion ripped through a five-storey residential building outside Moscow on Saturday, with rescue workers still looking for survivors.
The blast took place in the town of Orekhovo-Zuyevo during stay-at-home orders aimed at slowing the spread of the coronavirus.
The emergencies ministry said two people were killed and another six were injured when a section in the middle of the brick building collapsed in the town north of the capital.
Rescue workers were combing the debris as two more people could be under the debris, head of the emergencies ministry's Moscow region branch, Sergei Poletykin, said in televised remarks.
Ten flats have been partially destroyed and officials were trying to establish how many people lived there.
The rest of the building appeared intact.
National television broadcast footage of mangled heaps of concrete as locals — some wearing masks — gathered at the scene.
All residents of the damaged building have been moved to a school nearby, officials said.
Gennady Panin, head of the Orekhovo-Zuyevo city district, said earlier that six people had been pulled from the debris.
Three people, apparently from among those six, were in intensive care, he added.
Witness Alexei Muranov, who lives near the damaged building, said he stood near the window when he was pushed back by a shock wave.
"At first things were not clear, it looked like a car blast, there was a little bit of smoke," Muranov said in televised remarks.
"And then people ran there," he said, adding that several floors had collapsed. "Only a roof has remained."
The Investigative Committee said the gas explosion took place on the third floor of the building.
Investigators said they were looking into the cause, with a gas leak and damaged gas equipment believed to be among top leads.
Moscow region governor Andrei Vorobyov and emergencies minister Yevgeny Zinichev immediately went to the scene.
Gas explosions are common in Russia and often affect residential buildings built in the Soviet era.


themoscowtimes--2020-04-04--Meet the Activist-Doctor Who Has Become the Kremlin’s Loudest Coronavirus Critic

After weeks of working on overdrive , Anastasiya Vasilyeva , a doctor turned activist , finally had some time to kill .
It was late Thursday morning and the head of the independent Doctors ’ Alliance labor union had just passed the halfway point between Moscow and the Novgorod region , six hour ’ s drive northwest of the Russian capital .
Vasilyeva , 36 , was traveling in a convoy of four cars stocked with personal protective equipment ( PPE ) — gloves , masks , respirators — that she and nine other union members were planning to deliver @ @ @ @ @ @ @ we ’ re doing is helping our government , ” Vasilyeva told The Moscow Times by phone .
“ They ’ re not doing this work , so we ’ re taking it on ourselves.
” As the coronavirus pandemic has taken Russia in its grip in recent weeks , Vasilyeva has increasingly risen in prominence , standing out as the loudest critic of the authorities ’ stance on the severity of the pandemic .
She has also sounded the alarm over Russia ’ s testing procedures and the state of the country @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , experts have argued , lacks the resources to deal with the virus in the event that hospitals are overrun with patients .
In mid-March , as President Vladimir Putin maintained that the coronavirus in Russia was “ under control , ” Vasilyeva argued that Russia ’ s test for the virus — at that point verified only by a single state-run laboratory in Siberia — was likely undercounting positive cases .
The Russian government has since put strict measures in place to fight the virus , with Vasilyeva ’ s criticism implicitly @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and top officials as a reason for taking a more cautious approach .
Now , the country , which has so far reported 4,149 cases , is nearly all under quarantine .
But Vasilyeva has already turned her attention to trying to ensure medical staff are prepped for what is to come .
On social media , she and her union publish a constant stream of messages from medical workers around the country highlighting a lack of PPE they say will leave them exposed to the highly contagious virus that has so far @ @ @ @ @ @ @ complaints come in so often that Vasilyeva says she does not have enough time to address them all .
She and her team are also fund-raising to buy PPE for doctors around the country — this week , they raised 3.5 million rubles ( $ 45,500 ) , she said — while criticizing the Kremlin for sending equipment abroad to countries including the United States when it is needed by professionals at home .
“ We raise money all over the country to buy protection for doctors , and our authorities sell PPE @ @ @ @ @ @ @ tweeted Thursday morning from the road .
“ What a mockery.
” Vasilyeva is still only a budding activist .
Before her mother and dozens of other senior ophthalmologists were fired from a medical research university in Moscow in early 2018 , she says she wasn ’ t political .
“ She called me in tears and asked , ‘ What can I do ?
’ ” Vasilyeva recalled Thursday , noting that the experts were offered work as lab assistants or cleaners at 25,000 rubles ( $ 325 ) per month instead @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the field of ophthalmology in the Soviet Union and they were just tossed aside.
” Vasilyeva began writing petitions and contacting the press .
Having followed in her mother ’ s footsteps as an ophthalmologist , she also reached out to her own patients , including government officials , for help .
One of those patients happened to be Russia ’ s most prominent opposition critic Alexei Navalny , whom she had treated after unknown assailants attacked him with a green antiseptic known as zelyonka a year earlier , damaging his right eye @ @ @ @ @ @ @ who responded , ” Vasilyeva said , adding that Navalny offered her free legal aid through the team of lawyers at his Anti-Corruption Foundation .
“ Thanks to him , my mom got her job back at the institute.
” With Russia ’ s healthcare system facing significant cuts in recent years , medical workers began seeking her out for help .
Vasilyeva realized there was demand for a union .
Navalny offered her his lawyers at the start , but the Doctors ’ Alliance has since hired its own team and begun @ @ @ @ @ @ @ spectrum , including the Communist Party and the liberal Yabloko party .
It now has 15 full-time staff members , 40 regional offices and about 2,000 members and volunteers .
“ It ’ s hard not to be political when you see what ’ s happening with our healthcare system , ” Vasilyeva said .
With the arrival of the pandemic , the union is now in the limelight .
That has also meant the scrutiny of the authorities and Kremlin backers .
On Monday , the state-run NTV television channel ran a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ out Fakes About the Situation in Russian Hospitals and Why.
” The next day , the Investigative Committee — Russia ’ s version of the FBI — called Vasilyeva in for questioning for allegedly spreading fake news about the coronavirus .
That same day lawmakers passed a new law that can land offenders behind bars for up to five years .
On Thursday morning around 6:30 am , as Vasilyeva and her team were preparing to leave for Nizhny Novgorod from Moscow , a group of young men approached them .
“ Two @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and pointed their cameras at us , asking why we were breaking quarantine , ” Vasilyeva recounted .
Moscow has been under quarantine since March 30 .
Navalny has said that he and his allies are sometimes followed by young men he believes are associated with U.S.-sanctioned businessman Yevgeny Prigozhin , who try to provoke them on camera .
In comments to The Moscow Times , Navalny said he believes the pressure on the union will only keep growing .
“ It ’ s becoming popular , ” the opposition leader said .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ s support there always comes the Kremlin ’ s hatred and a discreditation campaign.
” When asked if she was worried about her newfound spotlight , Vasilyeva , who has two children — ages 12 and 13 — replied : “ What can they do to me ?
” Later that day the doctor turned activist ’ s plan hit a snag .
Waiting for her convoy at the border of the Novgorod region were law enforcement officials , who escorted the visitors to a local police station .
Vasilyeva and her team @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the equipment by calling for the hospital staff to come to them .
But the police held the group for hours .
Around 10 p.m. Thursday evening they let her go , after charging all members of the team for breaking quarantine — fines of 2,000 rubles ( $ 26 ) per person — but then they detained her again as the team was set to head back to Moscow .
“ The police attacked Anastasiya Vasilyeva and tried to drag her into the police department , ” the Doctors ’ Alliance posted @ @ @ @ @ @ @ — perhaps one of the plainclothes officers strangled her.
” The police held her overnight .
On Friday , she was charged in court for two more transgressions : not leaving her car while it was being towed ( she claims she was told she should remain in it ) and for refusing arrest ( the second time ) .
For the two charges she was ordered to pay additional fines totaling 1,600 rubles ( $ 21 ) .
Around 7 pm that evening she was finally free to go .
“ 19 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a holding cell and learning about the unpleasant interiors of the police world from the inside was worth it for the safety of medical workers , ” Vasilyeva wrote on Twitter .
“ And already soon we will go to the next hospital !
”

After weeks of working on overdrive, Anastasiya Vasilyeva, a doctor turned activist, finally had some time to kill. It was late Thursday morning and the head of the independent Doctors’ Alliance labor union had just passed the halfway point between Moscow and the Novgorod region, six hour’s drive northwest of the Russian capital. Vasilyeva, 36, was traveling in a convoy of four cars stocked with personal protective equipment (PPE) — gloves, masks, respirators — that she and nine other union members were planning to deliver to two local hospitals. “What we’re doing is helping our government,” Vasilyeva told The Moscow Times by phone. “They’re not doing this work, so we’re taking it on ourselves.” As the coronavirus pandemic has taken Russia in its grip in recent weeks, Vasilyeva has increasingly risen in prominence, standing out as the loudest critic of the authorities’ stance on the severity of the pandemic. She has also sounded the alarm over Russia’s testing procedures and the state of the country’s already strained healthcare system that, experts have argued, lacks the resources to deal with the virus in the event that hospitals are overrun with patients. In mid-March, as President Vladimir Putin maintained that the coronavirus in Russia was “under control,” Vasilyeva argued that Russia’s test for the virus — at that point verified only by a single state-run laboratory in Siberia — was likely undercounting positive cases. The Russian government has since put strict measures in place to fight the virus, with Vasilyeva’s criticism implicitly acknowledged both by experts on state television and top officials as a reason for taking a more cautious approach. Now, the country, which has so far reported 4,149 cases, is nearly all under quarantine.
But Vasilyeva has already turned her attention to trying to ensure medical staff are prepped for what is to come. On social media, she and her union publish a constant stream of messages from medical workers around the country highlighting a lack of PPE they say will leave them exposed to the highly contagious virus that has so far killed almost 60,000 people worldwide. The complaints come in so often that Vasilyeva says she does not have enough time to address them all. She and her team are also fund-raising to buy PPE for doctors around the country — this week, they raised 3.5 million rubles ($45,500), she said — while criticizing the Kremlin for sending equipment abroad to countries including the United States when it is needed by professionals at home. “We raise money all over the country to buy protection for doctors, and our authorities sell PPE to the U.S.,” the group tweeted Thursday morning from the road. “What a mockery.” Opposition roots Vasilyeva is still only a budding activist. Before her mother and dozens of other senior ophthalmologists were fired from a medical research university in Moscow in early 2018, she says she wasn’t political. “She called me in tears and asked, ‘What can I do?’” Vasilyeva recalled Thursday, noting that the experts were offered work as lab assistants or cleaners at 25,000 rubles ($325) per month instead. “These were people who developed the field of ophthalmology in the Soviet Union and they were just tossed aside.” Vasilyeva began writing petitions and contacting the press. Having followed in her mother’s footsteps as an ophthalmologist, she also reached out to her own patients, including government officials, for help. One of those patients happened to be Russia’s most prominent opposition critic Alexei Navalny, whom she had treated after unknown assailants attacked him with a green antiseptic known as zelyonka a year earlier, damaging his right eye. “He was the only one who responded,” Vasilyeva said, adding that Navalny offered her free legal aid through the team of lawyers at his Anti-Corruption Foundation. “Thanks to him, my mom got her job back at the institute.”
With Russia’s healthcare system facing significant cuts in recent years, medical workers began seeking her out for help. Vasilyeva realized there was demand for a union. Navalny offered her his lawyers at the start, but the Doctors’ Alliance has since hired its own team and begun working with political parties all across the spectrum, including the Communist Party and the liberal Yabloko party. It now has 15 full-time staff members, 40 regional offices and about 2,000 members and volunteers. “It’s hard not to be political when you see what’s happening with our healthcare system,” Vasilyeva said. With the arrival of the pandemic, the union is now in the limelight. That has also meant the scrutiny of the authorities and Kremlin backers. On Monday, the state-run NTV television channel ran a hit piece titled “Who Is Churning out Fakes About the Situation in Russian Hospitals and Why.” The next day, the Investigative Committee — Russia’s version of the FBI — called Vasilyeva in for questioning for allegedly spreading fake news about the coronavirus. That same day lawmakers passed a new law that can land offenders behind bars for up to five years. On Thursday morning around 6:30 am, as Vasilyeva and her team were preparing to leave for the Novgorod region from Moscow, a group of young men approached them. “Two of them were waiting at my car and pointed their cameras at us, asking why we were breaking quarantine,” Vasilyeva recounted. Moscow has been under quarantine since March 30.