Deputy Chairman of the Security Council of Russia Dmitry Medvedev in the article “Rossiyskaya Gazeta” statedthat the country has been in the fifth phase of the coronavirus pandemic since the spring of 2021, when there is another rise in the incidence rate, which, with an increase in the volume of testing, has reached a historical maximum and is at an almost critical level.
The deputy chairman of the Security Council pointed out that life in a new reality requires thoughtful decisions and a long war against infection, which should be waged together by all countries of the world, regardless of political ambitions.
According to Medvedev, new technologies and tools should be introduced in all spheres of life in order to be prepared for similar challenges in the future. He added that it is necessary to invest maximum resources in eliminating key points of inequality in society, to create a safety cushion in case of emergency, to guarantee citizens access to quality medical care, medicines, vaccines.
Earlier, at the first working meeting of the G20 summit, Russian President Vladimir Putin estimated the timing of the end of the COVID-19 pandemic. He suggested that the coronavirus will pose a danger to people for a long time to come. For this reason, it is important to develop mechanisms for the systematic and rapid updating of vaccines.
The deputy chairman of the Security Council pointed out that the legislation regarding vaccination in Russia remains very liberal. So, vaccination against coronavirus is not included in the national vaccination calendar, and there is no criminal or administrative liability for evading it.
Medvedev recalled that Russia uses law-restrictive measures against unvaccinated citizens. So, for example, we are talking about the possibility of a ban on travel abroad, refusal of admission to educational organizations and health care institutions, or refusal to hire.
The politician added that a number of countries have introduced compulsory vaccination, high fines for refusing it, and even criminal liability, as in France. Medvedev stressed that the legality of these methods was confirmed by the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR).
The Deputy Chairman of the Security Council noted that a balance should be found between respect for human rights and vaccination, adding that Russia did not go the way of many countries, and vaccination against COVID-19 is voluntary, despite the decree on the mandatory vaccination of certain categories of citizens in all regions of the country.
Medvedev pointed out that in order to encourage the population to vaccinate, they should be given the opportunity between different types of vaccines, including foreign ones. They should also increase their availability so that people can get vaccinated quickly, free of charge, and wherever they want. In addition, covid passports should be introduced, including in international cooperation, and anti-coronavirus drugs should be promoted.
According to the deputy chairman of the Security Council, a negative attitude towards vaccination began to form with the collapse of the USSR, where there were vaccination calendars and mandatory vaccinations against smallpox, typhus, malaria, tuberculosis, poliomyelitis were carried out. Currently, anti-vaccine propaganda is underway, which leads to the appearance of fakes and poses a clear threat to public safety.
Medvedev noted that people’s fears of vaccination are due to the fact that new drugs against coronavirus have been little studied, have a number of side effects, and many are afraid of the possibility of getting sick even after vaccination. The politician called for a policy of education instead of coercion, which proved to be ineffective.
Earlier, Alexander Gorelov, deputy head for scientific work of the Central Research Institute of Epidemiology of Rospotrebnadzor, dispelled the myth of vaccination against coronavirus. According to him, some people think that with the introduction of the drug, the virus enters the body, and therefore the vaccinated becomes a source of infection for others. The epidemiologist recalled that no vaccine in the world contains a live virus.
Medvedev stressed that Europe was not united in the face of the pandemic, each state tried to protect its own geopolitical interests.
In the midst of the pandemic, the trade war between the United States and China took the form of a Cold War, NATO provocations became more frequent, including the approach of the Alliance ships to the borders of other states. In addition, the sanctions policy has not changed, added the Deputy Chairman of the Security Council. He expressed confidence that a food crisis is coming in the world, food prices are growing everywhere, and food inflation is accelerating.
According to Medvedev, the crisis hit the countries with the global economy the hardest, but at the same time they can recover faster from its consequences. He explained that the recession is now much more serious than during the crisis period of 2008-2009. Developed countries will be able to leave it by the end of 2022, and some developing countries – no earlier than 2024.
Medvedev stressed that the situation in the global economy is largely influenced by non-economic factors, such as the rate of vaccination, the threat of the emergence of more dangerous strains, and especially political factors, such as the will of the international community to fight the coronavirus, which not all states are ready to show.
Earlier, Finance Minister Anton Siluanov, after a joint meeting of finance ministers and health ministers at the G20 summit in Rome, proposed to distribute the “Sanitary Shield” around the world. He said that the domestic project could become part of the global health system, adding that Russia is helping other countries in the fight against the pandemic “on a multilateral basis”, that is, it sends vaccines, supplies protective equipment, various drugs and medicines, and also helps with technical side.
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