Quarantine Easing

QUARANTINE ENDS IN RUSSIA

By Stephen Wilson

 

             'There 's some say that we wan,

              Some say that they wan,

              Some say that nane wan at a', man ;'

 

              A Traditional Scottish song

 

             On the 9th of June the Quarantine experiment planned from the 1st to the 14th June was abruptly ended evoking a wide range of often mixed feelings. Some  observers feel that this is more of a political move than a well thought out and rational response to events so that the government can claim they will celebrate two victories; the 75th anniversary of the end of the war along with winning a

fight against the Covid -19 virus. Such complacency may be misplaced. Who has won? Has the virus or the state won? Maybe nobody has won!  

 

            Sergei seemed to stumble into the model shop rather than walk in. In a hurry, he had tripped over the stairs. The shop assistant bellowed at him "Where is you mask?

            You are not allowed into the shop without a mask or gloves!"  Sergei, a tall, frail and gaunt man looked surprised and immediately covered his face with his tee-shirt and

then purchased two expensive books on Russian aviation during the First World War. After that purchase, all was forgiven. I shouted at him, "Yes, where is your mask" but he realized I was an old friend who had known him over a decade. It was the first time we had met for almost 3 months. But I wondered if he, and many other people, were completely aware that some of the existing rules of the quarantine in public places and transport, are still in force despite an announcement to finish the quarantine on 9th of June.

 

            Walking about Moscow I have observed an almost complacent and laid back attitude among local people. Whereas only two weeks ago you could notice over 50% of the people wearing masks and gloves, now at present, if you are walking around the city with a mask and gloves in some localities you feel like an exception or even freak. In deed you might draw ridicule from some people. "Why are you wearing those gloves and a mask? There is nobody near you." People were sitting on benches again and gathering together as if there had been no crisis. But older and some middle-aged people were more cautious and tended to wear the mask over their faces. However, in the metro, practically everyone is wearing a mask and gloves and attempting to

observe social distancing. What a huge contrast!

 

            Russians have been responding in many different ways to this crisis. Contrary to the belief of many people in Britain, Russians are not under the iron thumb of some all

powerful and pervasive police state always watching you. In fact, often the police don't stop or pay attention to people at all and the experience of enforcing the quarantine indicates they can't completely control the situation because too many

people are breaking the rules. Instead, they would often send a loudspeaker car appealing to people to "Stay at home". But despite a massive publicity campaign people can go on breaking the rules.

 

            Some people believe that the ending of the Quarantine has been way premature. A linguist, Maria Hazaretyan, said, 'We can't allow 'the immortal regiment to go into the city on Victory Day, as every day, 1500 to 2000 people in Moscow are still being infected. I am certain that the statistics of those those who have caught the virus are

underestimated." Amalia Sokolovskaya stated, 'The parade has lost it's meaning.

            There is no sense in celebrating it ".  The decision to end the quarantine on 9th of June appears to have been taken by the president who overruled the authority of the local mayor of Moscow. Sobyanin lamented in vain that "We have more important problems to grapple with than organizing a military parade on the 24th June and an

Election to vote on the constitution".

 

            A Russian businessman who came down with the virus said, "A lot of my friends are still scared to go out because they might catch the virus. They think that observing

such a quarantine for almost 3 months and then suddenly getting it means all their suffering has been in vain."

 

            But for many people facing immense economic problems and psychological pressure the end could not come any sooner. They feel greatly relieved. They argue the danger from this virus has been exaggerated if not invented. They have been cursing the mayor for either ruining their business or rendering them unemployed.

 

            Despite massive billboards and notices placed around blocks of flats, people are not that concerned about voting in the next referendum for a new constitution. Very few

Russians are aware what the amendments are about other than it would allow the president to remain in power until 2036. Perhaps the indifference lies with the fact that so much of the present constitution is not observed at all.  Does an amendment proposing that the traditional family must have strict gender roles: a mother remains a woman, and a father, remains a man really inspire much interest? A further

amendment is to defend a particular interpretation of the 'Great Patriotic War' against say, some fascist views of history as well as one view which blames Russia for being one of the main causes of the war. One amendment is that the Russians won't be under obligation to pay out compensation or comply with some international agreements. This means that Russians will have less access and appeal to other forms of justice should an unfair decision be made by a Russian court. When almost everyone has been absorbed and distracted by this virus, few people  notice the full implications of some of those amendments.

 

            As always, there are some people who live aloof from the world around them. The crisis does not or hardly ever touches them. The Russian businessman told me, "A woman told me that I was the only person she knew who had come down with this virus".  Could it be possible that some people might be wholly unaware of this crisis?

            In an interview on 'The World at War T.V. series, Doctor Gray said in one interview that he had met an Italian hermit in the Apennines who had never heard that there

was a war on. He just carried on hill farming as he had always done.

 

            For understandable reasons, many Russians are dying to return to work or find new jobs. School students are relieved that they can sit exams at the end of June rather

that wait till September. But teachers are still doing lessons on-line and despite a carefree atmosphere in parks, life has hardly returned to normal. But President Putin was at pains to point out the government does not intend to replace all face to face teaching with on-line teaching. There are no such grand schemes or plans. But he stated that the colossal experience of distance education must be used in the future.

           "However, on-line education can't replace life communication between teachers and students ... Concerning all those rumors that distance education can fully replace and squeeze out face to face learning, I see this as an open provocation ". But who is being provocative? The ambitious proposals to expand on-line programs have not come from teachers or unions, but from some rectors, economists and businessmen. You can understand why some teachers are so anxious about any potential imminent threat to their jobs or hints of being made redundant.