September 24, 2023

Masking Required Here


Masking Required Here
Russian White House. Szilas, Wikimedia Commons.

Despite Russia's growing political isolation, the COVID-19 variant EG.5, informally known as "Eris," has arrived. The House of The Government of the Russian Federation, the workplace of the Russian Prime Minister, announced that, starting September 18, masking on their premises is mandatory to avoid the spread of COVID-19 and the flu, among other diseases.

According to RBK, employees at the "Bely Dom" (White House) were asked to wear masks in the office and avoid business trips both inside Russia and abroad. The institution also reduced its number of visitors.

Press Secretary Dmitry Peskov said that the government is monitoring the spread of the disease in Russia. However, no measures have been announced for the general population.

The government's current attitude towards the virus drastically differs from its response during the height of the pandemic, which peaked in 2020 and 2021. At that time, officials downplayed the severity of the virus. Media and the government fomented skepticism around vaccines even though Russia was the first country to roll them out. Four hundred thousand lives in Russia were lost to the virus, according to official estimates, the fourth-highest death count of any nation. 

On May 5, 2023, the World Health Organization declared the end of the coronavirus pandemic. In Russia, however, in the week of September 10, some 7,688 people tested positive for COVID-19.

You Might Also Like

Trading COVID for a Car
  • December 22, 2021

Trading COVID for a Car

Thankful for the care they received while ill, one citizen gladly gives away their wheels for the greater good. 
Party Like It's Belarus
  • January 06, 2021

Party Like It's Belarus

The president of Russia's neighbor Belarus ended 2020 the same way he started it: in denial over the coronavirus pandemic.
Ever-Resilient Lukashenko
  • August 03, 2020

Ever-Resilient Lukashenko

The President of Russia's neighboring Belarus says he had coronavirus, but even that didn't keep him down.
Like this post? Get a weekly email digest + member-only deals

Some of our Books

Fearful Majesty
July 01, 2014

Fearful Majesty

This acclaimed biography of one of Russia’s most important and tyrannical rulers is not only a rich, readable biography, it is also surprisingly timely, revealing how many of the issues Russia faces today have their roots in Ivan’s reign.

The Samovar Murders
November 01, 2019

The Samovar Murders

The murder of a poet is always more than a murder. When a famous writer is brutally stabbed on the campus of Moscow’s Lumumba University, the son of a recently deposed African president confesses, and the case assumes political implications that no one wants any part of.

A Taste of Chekhov
December 24, 2022

A Taste of Chekhov

This compact volume is an introduction to the works of Chekhov the master storyteller, via nine stories spanning the last twenty years of his life.

Survival Russian
February 01, 2009

Survival Russian

Survival Russian is an intensely practical guide to conversational, colloquial and culture-rich Russian. It uses humor, current events and thematically-driven essays to deepen readers’ understanding of Russian language and culture. This enlarged Second Edition of Survival Russian includes over 90 essays and illuminates over 2000 invaluable Russian phrases and words.

Stargorod: A Novel in Many Voices
May 01, 2013

Stargorod: A Novel in Many Voices

Stargorod is a mid-sized provincial city that exists only in Russian metaphorical space. It has its roots in Gogol, and Ilf and Petrov, and is a place far from Moscow, but close to Russian hearts. It is a place of mystery and normality, of provincial innocence and Black Earth wisdom. Strange, inexplicable things happen in Stargorod. So do good things. And bad things. A lot like life everywhere, one might say. Only with a heavy dose of vodka, longing and mystery.

Woe From Wit (bilingual)
June 20, 2017

Woe From Wit (bilingual)

One of the most famous works of Russian literature, the four-act comedy in verse Woe from Wit skewers staid, nineteenth century Russian society, and it positively teems with “winged phrases” that are essential colloquialisms for students of Russian and Russian culture.

Steppe
July 15, 2022

Steppe

This is the work that made Chekhov, launching his career as a writer and playwright of national and international renown. Retranslated and updated, this new bilingual edition is a super way to improve your Russian.

Murder and the Muse
December 12, 2016

Murder and the Muse

KGB Chief Andropov has tapped Matyushkin to solve a brazen jewel heist from Picasso’s wife at the posh Metropole Hotel. But when the case bleeds over into murder, machinations, and international intrigue, not everyone is eager to see where the clues might lead.

The Pet Hawk of the House of Abbas
October 01, 2013

The Pet Hawk of the House of Abbas

This exciting new trilogy by a Russian author – who has been compared to Orhan Pamuk and Umberto Eco – vividly recreates a lost world, yet its passions and characters are entirely relevant to the present day. Full of mystery, memorable characters, and non-stop adventure, The Pet Hawk of the House of Abbas is a must read for lovers of historical fiction and international thrillers.

 

About Us

Russian Life is a publication of a 30-year-young, award-winning publishing house that creates a bimonthly magazine, books, maps, and other products for Russophiles the world over.

Latest Posts

Our Contacts

Russian Life
73 Main Street, Suite 402
Montpelier VT 05602

802-223-4955