Putin keeps workers home for a week as deaths soar

[Jilly_in_VA]

President Vladimir Putin on Wednesday ordered most Russians to stay off work for a week later this month amid rising COVID-19 infections and deaths, and he strongly urged reluctant citizens to get vaccinated.

The government coronavirus task force reported 1,028 deaths in the past 24 hours, the highest number since the start of the pandemic. That brought Russia's death toll to 226,353, by far the highest in Europe.

Putin said he supports the Cabinet’s proposal to introduce a nonworking period starting Oct. 30 and extending through the following week, when four of seven days already are official state holidays. In some regions where the situation is the most threatening, he said the nonworking period could start as early as Saturday and be extended after Nov. 7.

“Our task today is to protect life and health of our citizens and minimize the consequences of the dangerous infection,” Putin said in a video call with top officials. “To achieve that, it's necessary to first of all slow the pace of contagion and mobilize additional reserves of the health care system, which is currently working under a high strain.”

Russia’s daily coronavirus mortality numbers have been surging for weeks and topped 1,000 for the first time over the weekend amid sluggish vaccination rates, lax public attitudes toward taking precautions and the government’s reluctance to toughen restrictions. Only about 45 million Russians — roughly a third of the country's nearly 146 million people — are fully vaccinated.

https://abcnews.go.com/Business/wireStory/1028-covid-deaths-russia-workweek-considered-80681257
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Kind of surprised this hasn't been mentioned today

[Raven123]

1. One week off to start 2 weeks in the future to slow COVID? Makes no sense.

[Lovie777]

2. Like China, the numbers are higher . ...

feel for the Russian people.

[empedocles]

3. Dictatorships use their great power, to be short-sighted and make things worse.

[DetlefK]

4. The reason is simple: The russian people do not trust the government that the vaccine is safe.

Russians have a cynical, fatalistic mentality: Everyone and everything is bad and there is nothing you can do about it.

70 years of Communism have taught the Russians one thing: Do not to believe what the government says.

Oh, Russians have absolutely no problem with being proud nationalists, standing up for Putin and Mother Russia... but defending Putin publicly is one thing, putting your life in his hands is another.

[Totally Tunsie]

5. Have to wonder if he'd still be calling for this

if "four of seven days already are official state holidays" wasn't the case. So, basically, he's calling for one day off.

This is supposed to accomplish what??? Why not start, say...today!

[BannonsLiver]

6. It is odd

Given he has absolute power and could order it immediately.

[Totally Tunsie]

7. His action is nothing more than a figurative bandaid

on the COVID pandemonium. One week off, 10 days down the line will do nothing to stop COVID's rampage.

[BannonsLiver]

9. Yes. I'm well aware.

My point was he can do whatever he wants. He’s a dictator with absolute power.

[Crunchy Frog]

8. I think they've been massively underreporting their deaths from the start of the pandemic.

Who knows what their real numbers are.