COVID-19 goes on the offensive in Russia again

Moscow is dealing with an explosive increase in the number of COVID-19 cases, Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin said, Interfax reports.

According to him, the admission of seriously ill coronavirus patients to hospitals has increased by 70 percent.

“Today we are on the rise, and a very big one. It is higher than, say, in April-May of the previous  year, when we first encountered this, and has almost reached the December peak, which was reported late last year," Sobyanin said during a visit to the coronavirus hospital at City Clinical Hospital No. 15 named after Filatov.

During the long weekend, Moscow residents should limit communication with others in order to prevent the spread of the coronavirus infection, Sobyanin added.

Earlier, the Kremlin expressed dissatisfaction with the rate of vaccination in Russia. According to the press secretary of the Russian President Dmitry Peskov, getting a jab or not is a matter of one's conscientiousness.

As of June 15, as many as 6,805 new cases of infection were reported in Moscow. 

Earlier, Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin declared June 15-19 non-working days due to the increase in the incidence of COVID-19. In addition, food courts and children's playrooms in shopping centers will be suspended from June 13 to June 20. Catering services will be prohibited from serving guests at night - from 23:00 to 06:00, except for take-away orders.

Meanwhile, the authorities of the Moscow region decided to cancel school graduation parties due to the rise in the spread of coronavirus. Celebrations will be held outdoors or separately for each class. Parents will be able to attend the events too provided they meet safety requirements.

Over 14,000 new cases of Covid reported in Russia in one day

Over the past 24 hours, as many as 14,185 new cases of coronavirus have been reported in Russia. The total number since the beginning of the pandemic has thus amounted to 5.236,593 cases, the operational headquarters for combating the spread of the infection said. 

A day earlier, 13,721 cases were detected in Russia, the growth rate amounted to 0.27 percent. The maximum number of cases recorded in June is currently 14,723 - such numbers were previously recorded in February.

Kremlin wants higher vaccination rates

According to Kremlins official spokesman Dmitry Peskov, “any measures” will be good to boost the vaccination process in the Russian Federation. 

“Of course, in this case, any measures that will help to intensify the vaccination process are good,” Peskov said.  

Peskov answered positively to the question about the appropriateness of measures to stimulate the consciousness of Russian people as fas as the issue of vaccination is concerned. 

Peskov said that he did not take the jab himself because he had had coronavirus. According to him,  after the illness he has a large number of antibodies to coronavirus.