(Flights in and out of Russia were already shut down weeks ago, along with much of the China/Russia border.)
Beginning today (Monday 30 March 2020), Russia goes to ground - all forms of travel in and out of the country locked down, including pedestrian, waterways/ river travel, cars and trains. Russia to ban ALL cross-border travel over Covid-19 pandemic https://www.rt.com/russia/484372-russia-bans-crossborder-travel-coronavirus/ .. Authorities said that the measure was "temporary," but provided no indication as to when frontiers will re-open. .. Russian truck drivers serving international routes, as well as the crews of trains and river vessels, will be able to return home. .. Russia has been making a large-scale effort to tackle the highly contagious disease, which included canceling all regular and charter flights in and out of the country. Suggestion: if you have yet to make plans to "go to ground for a couple of months", now just might be the time to do so. On Mon, Mar 30, 2020 at 09:42:55AM +1100, Zenaan Harkness wrote: > This is not the average coronavirus, that's fer muffaluggerin' sure. > > Also, Moscow now in lockdown (and remember, Russian 2,500km border has been > locked down since as early as 30 January. > > We can keep laughin, but may be keep ones eyes open too. > > > Not an old person’s virus: Russia warns teens & adults they TOO may need > ventilators if ill with Covid-19, citing patient data > https://www.rt.com/russia/484428-moscow-coronavirus-younger-patients/ > > Moscow authorities have sounded the alarm over the ratio of serious > Covid-19 cases among younger people, having found that 40 percent of the > patients undergoing artificial lung ventilation are under the age of 40. > > At least 1,014 people have been diagnosed with Covid-19 in the Russian > capital as of Sunday, and only 15 percent of those are over 65, the > authorities said. > > Over 33 percent of those infected with the novel coronavirus fell between > the ages of 18 and 34, while 46 percent were between 35 and 64, the official > data said. > > But what’s worse, the serious cases requiring artificial lung ventilation > units, commonly known as ventilators, did not favor the younger patients, > according to the statement. > > It did not disclose how many of those infected were considered serious > and how many required ventilators, but provided what appear to be alarming > stats. > > Almost 40 percent of those on artificial lung ventilation are younger > than 40. The percentage of such patients aged under 60 makes up as many as 64 > percent, i.e. two thirds of the total number of patients on ventilation. > > The Moscow medics strongly cautioned that “it’s not only elderly > Muscovites who suffer from the severe form of the disease.” > > Their warning comes in contrast to the general belief that the > coronavirus is deadliest for the elderly. The experience of China, where the > virus originated, and such heavily hit nations as Italy and the US appear to > show that around 80 percent of the Covid-19 fatalities occur among the people > in their 60s and older. > > The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in the US said earlier in > March that that the older age group accounted for 31 percent of all > coronavirus cases in the US, for 45 percent of hospitalizations, 53 percent > of ICU admissions and 80 percent of all deaths. > > It’s unclear as yet if the situation in Moscow really contradicts the > global trends, as the total number of people in need of ventilators remains > undisclosed. All of the eight coronavirus patients who have died in Russia so > far were older than 40. > > The discrepancy could boil down to different statistical systems being > used, or to the relatively low number of seriously ill patients at this stage. > > The worrisome figures from the Russian capital could also be an attempt > by the medics to persuade younger people to follow the quarantine measures > more thoroughly, as they issued reminders that “all Muscovites should remain > home, no matter what their age.” > > The next week has been declared a paid holiday in Russia in order to stem > the spread of Covid-19. But, in Moscow, the abnormally warm and sunny weather > tempted many to neglect the government’s advice to remain indoors. > > However, the city authorities on Sunday ramped up the restrictions, with > the mayor’s order effectively instructing residents to self-isolate and not > go outside unless it is absolutely necessary. > > The order, which comes into effect on Monday, added that special permits > will soon be introduced for those who need to continue traveling to work. > > The number of people infected with the virus in Russia reached 1,534 on > Sunday. The capital, which is the country’s largest city and main transport > hub, accounts for two thirds of these cases.
