41.2 Overall Score

Russia

  • 81.2 Public Health
    Directives
  • 25.7 Financial
    Response
  • 16 Fact-Based
    Communication
  • 81.2 Public Health
    Directives
  • 25.7 Financial
    Response
  • 16 Fact-Based
    Communication

Russia has a relatively weak score, with strong public health policy undone by weak financial support, limitations on press freedom, and spread of misinformation about the pandemic.

Pre-COVID Conditions

Russia was relatively strong in pre-pandemic preparedness but is not a wealthy country, and it scores near the median for hospital beds and healthcare quality and access to care.

  • Debt/GDP ratio 14.6%
  • GDP/capita $30,820
  • Gini coefficient (out of 100) 37.5
  • Infant mortality rate (out of 1,000 live births) 6
  • Healthcare access score (out of 100) 71.7
  • Hospital beds/1,000 People 59.1

Government Response

Select a data point for more information
(Data points represent policy level as of Aug 1.)
81.2

Public Health Directives

Russia has had a relatively strong public health policy, owing to restrictions on social gatherings, although it does limit who can get tested and has little emergency healthcare spending related to COVID-19.

  • Stay at home order 2
  • Public gathering restrictions 4
  • School closings 0
  • Public event cancellations 2
  • Testing policy 3
  • Emergency healthcare investments/capita $13.57
  • Travel restrictions 1
  • Tests/1,000 people 1.9
  • Contact tracing 2
25.7

Financial Response

Russia’s financial response is relatively weak; its stimulus is small, and it has very little income support.

  • Financial stimulus as share of GDP 3.4%
  • Income support 1
  • Debt forebearance 2
16

Fact-Based Communication

Russia scores low in this category, as it has propagated false information on COVID-19 and has greatly limited press freedom in response to the pandemic.

  • Reliance on science/fact based information 2
  • Press freedom 3

COVID-19 Status as of Aug 1

Russia has a relatively strong score in this category, with a low death rate that is counterbalanced by a very high case rate; limited communication of facts and restrictions on press freedom regarding COVID-19 raise concerns about the accuracy of the data.

  • Total deaths 13,963
  • Death rate per 100K 95.7
  • Total cases 839,981
  • Cases per 100K 5,756
  • Percent of positive tests 2.1
Case Trend Line
Daily cases Level 2 Lockdown Level 3 Lockdown
Date Status New Cases/1M
1 Jun 08 Retail and restaurants start to reopen (varies by region) 60.53
2 Jun 22 Final restrictions are lifted, including on gyms and restaurants 54.54

Differentiating Factors

  • False news law limited press freedom: Press freedom in Russia has been severely curtailed by the passage of a law which makes spreading 'false information' about coronavirus punishable by up to five years in prison. The law is similar to those passed in Hungary and India. Read More
  • Amendment allows Putin to stay in power: Russians voted in early July to pass a constitutional amendment that allows President Putin to serve a further two terms, keeping him in power until 2036, and consolidating his control of the country. Golos, an independent Russian election monitoring group, has condemned the vote, saying it received over 2000 complaints of violations of democracy. Read More
  • Government likely consolidating power through travel restrictions: Putin has been accused of using the pandemic to consolidate his power and control over the country. In addition to the constitutional amendment, campaigners have condemned the implementation of a new 'digital pass' system which requires Russians to get permission to travel by vehicle or public transport due to the pandemic. Read More
Compared with Other Arctic States
  • 77.7
    Canada 116,298
    Cases     3,081
    Per 1M     8,935
    Deaths

    Canada has a relatively strong score, with poor public health policy countered by a continued reliance on fact-based communication.

  • 27.7
    United States 4,562,037
    Cases     13,783
    Per 1M     153,314
    Deaths

    Still battling widespread COVID-19 cases and deaths, which were exacerbated by the former administration's limited use of facts and science, limited emergency healthcare spending, and limited debt relief, the Biden administration, by contrast, is taking aggressive action to combat the virus, although it may take time for the score to reflect these changes.

  • 71.9
    Norway 9,208
    Cases     1,699
    Per 1M     255
    Deaths

    Norway scores just below the median, pulled down by its weak public health and financial response scores, despite a strong reliance on facts and a free press.

  • 51.6
    Sweden 76,937
    Cases     7,618
    Per 1M     5,762
    Deaths

    Despite being known for a relatively strong public healthcare system, Sweden has been hit hard with cases; the country’s lack of stay-at-home orders and school closures, limited testing, and few gathering restrictions overshadowed its financial support, reliance on facts, and accountability with an open press.

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New Zealand

Statistics and government response factors available on each country profile include:

Pre-COVID Conditions:

  • Debt to GDP ratio
  • Infant mortality rates
  • Hospital beds per 1,000 people
  • Gini coefficients measuring inequality
  • Health access and quality

COVID-19 Public Health Directives:

  • Stay-at home orders
  • School-closing policy
  • Public-gathering restrictions
  • Cancellation of public events
  • Testing policy and rates per 1,000 people
  • Emergency healthcare spending per capita
  • Travel restrictions
  • Contact tracing

COVID-19 Financial Response:

  • Stimulus package as a share of GDP
  • Income support
  • Debt-forbearance

Public Communications:

  • Instances of misinformation by leadership
  • Limitations on press freedom, censorship

Current/Historic In-Country COVID-19 Status:

  • Death rates per 1 million
  • Case rates per 1 million