Yesterday Vladimir Putin announced that he had no plans to introduce a nationwide, total lockdown in the country.
If any restrictive measures are needed, then this will happen on the ground, pointwise, taking into account the situation and the epidemiological situation in a particular region or city.
Indeed, I am in my country more than not afraid.
I could be anywhere during the first lockdown, I could get stuck, like many of my friends and compatriots, in other countries.
And in general, I might not have been born in Russia from the very beginning.
But the fact that I live here and am here during the coronavirus pandemic gives me a unique and very incomprehensible to my foreign friends feeling of security and confidence in what my government is doing.
To paraphrase: "my country protects me."
And this is not a joke, I say in all seriousness, without any irony and sarcasm.
If we compare what measures are being taken in other countries, and what the first wave of covid entailed, then the most stable and balanced situation is undoubtedly observed in Russia.
Even in the Baltic countries, where everything was very good, new restrictions are now being introduced on social contacts and visits to public places and events.
I understand that the reputation of Russia, of Russians with these memes on the topic of crazy russians and not always popular politics, or, to be more precise, the president’s policy is not always in a good light, make us think that we are some kind of repulsed rednecks with balalaikas, in hats- Earflaps and with a bear on a leash, living exclusively by the "maybe" rule, although, we must admit, from time to time this is exactly what we do.
But not always.
Few people are able to look at us in a light not blurred by propaganda, few people can evaluate impartially balanced decisions.
Unfortunately, the loudest are the cases of ignorant stupidity of local officials.
But there is also something else.
Is it possible to judge the whole of Russia by one unscrupulous Russian?
So, during the first quarantine, I read news bulletins from other countries, including America, where for the sake of money Trump tried to sit on two chairs at once, did not want to drop the country's economy and did not introduce a nationwide quarantine, without stopping movement between cities and states. ...
The terrifying carelessness led to mass deaths and subsequent protests by doctors who were left to fend for themselves during the epidemic of the virus that led to the global crisis.
Seeing this, I realized that I was calm here in my country.
Undoubtedly, we also had to go through many losses and stressful situations.
We also made decisions absolutely blindly, in the dark, by touch, at our own peril and risk, assuming how this or that measure might affect the national economy, mortality, mental health, the work of medical staff, and education.
But at the same time, our politicians did not sacrifice the lives of the population for the sake of saving face or because of concern about their rating before the elections.
What then, what now, precautionary and preventive measures were, if possible, permissive, warning, and not prohibitive.
In addition to the prescriptions, there is still an active campaign for the coverage and awareness of the population.
In the end, taking a course to prevent the problem, and not to urgently solve it after its completion, it was in our country that the first, second and third vaccines against coronavirus appeared.
Now Germany and France are once again forced to close for a general quarantine.
People are again deprived of the opportunity to leave the house, to see family and friends.
And the isolation regime will last at least until December 1.
Bars and restaurants are closed again, mass events are canceled.
Honestly, I'm writing this, and it's hard for me to believe that such a thing is possible at all, having completely forgotten in a few months (after all, you quickly get used to good things) that until recently it was the same with us.
It was, but will not be.
And, to be honest, I am very sorry for the people who have to live it again.
For me, the second lockdown is as scary as the second parachute jump: it is very difficult to decide, because you already know what will follow.
The author's point of view may not coincide with the position of the editorial board.