47.6 Overall Score (up 6.4 since Aug 1st.)

Russia

  • 88.7 Public Health
    Directives
  • 40.7 Financial
    Response
  • 16 Fact-Based
    Communication
  • 88.7 Public Health
    Directives
  • 40.7 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 Sep 1.)
88.7

Public Health Directives

Russia has had 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 0
  • Public gathering restrictions 4
  • School closings 0
  • Public event cancellations 2
  • Testing policy 3
  • Emergency healthcare investments/capita $13.64
  • Travel restrictions 3
  • Tests/1,000 people 251.5
  • Contact tracing 2
40.7

Financial Response

Russia’s financial response was slightly above the median; its debt support was strong, but its stimulus was small, and it had 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 Sep 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 17,176
  • Death rate per 100K 117.7
  • Total cases 995,319
  • Cases per 100K 6,820
  • Percent of positive tests 1.7
  • Change in positivity rates -0.4
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 2,000 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
  • 73.1
    Canada 128,948
    Cases     3,417
    Per 1M     9,126
    Deaths

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

  • 31.2
    United States 6,031,013
    Cases     18,220
    Per 1M     183,598
    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.

  • 59.5
    Norway 10,644
    Cases     1,963
    Per 1M     264
    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.

  • 53.9
    Sweden 84,379
    Cases     8,356
    Per 1M     5,831
    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.

Further Reading From Foreign Policy

Be the source of actionable insight.

Select one of the subscription options below to read the full Covid-19 Global Response Index. Unlock even more global intelligence with a subscription to FP Insider.

Already an FP Insider?

Best Value

One-Year All Access
FP Insider

$450

1-year of full access to FP Insider exclusive content and subscription benefits

See benefits  ▾

  • All FP Analytics Special Reports, including the COVID-19 Global Response Index
  • FP Analytics Power Maps
  • Editorial conference calls
  • Unlimited articles on ForeignPolicy.com
  • Digital and print editions of FP’s award-winning magazine
  • Print archive, containing 50 years of FP journalism
  • Subscriber-only newsletters
  • Security and defense news alerts
  • Bonus episodes of FP podcasts
  • FP mobile app

❌ Hide benefits

 

One-Month
COVID-19 Report Bundle

$150

30-day Access to the COVID-19 Global Response Index and Global Race to Vaccinate report

Looking for group access? Contact us directly

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