Russian region orders tough ‘stay at home’ regime for pensioners who refuse to get Covid-19 vaccine amid sharp spike in deaths

With coronavirus deaths on the rise across the country and many still reluctant to sign up for a jab, elderly and vulnerable people in Bashkortostan, Central Russia have been told they must soon get a vaccine or else stay at home.

In a statement released on Tuesday, the region’s governor, Radiy Khabirov, said those who refuse to be immunized and are at particular risk from the virus will be barred from most public places. According to him, an analysis of deaths during the pandemic found that “they are mainly among people over 60 years of age who have serious illnesses.”

“As a result, we have agreed that I will sign a decree ordering that from October 13 we will introduce a self-isolation regime for people aged from 65 and over. This only applies to those who are not vaccinated,” Khabirov said.

Under the rules, anyone visiting shopping centers, museums, theaters, libraries and a range of other places will be required to present a vaccination certificate or proof that they have already recovered from coronavirus.

Bashkortostan has recorded 11,610 positive tests for Covid-19 in the past 24 hours and had among the largest number of deaths of any region of Russia, with 35 people passing away over the same period.

The country has seen a sharp spike in cases in recent days, and last week announced the highest number of deaths in a single day since the start of the pandemic. More than 900 people have succumbed to the virus on each of the past five consecutive days.

However, authorities have consistently said that no national lockdown measures are being considered, and that it is up to regional leaders to drive down the death rate and ensure local health systems can cope.

Earlier this month, residents in Kursk, close to the border with Ukraine, were warned that areas with low levels of vaccination would be cut off from road repairs. “We need to get involved in the work and explain the need for vaccination,” Governor Roman Starovoit said.

Kremlin Press Secretary Dmitry Peskov has since said that “all methods to push people toward understanding the necessity of vaccination are good. Indeed, all measures are good.”

Like this story? Share it with a friend!