Covid Vaccinations in Russia and Eastern Europe
We know that pandemics or plagues have historically had importance in military campaigns, or their aftermath. This prods us to examine the Covid vaccinations of the countries with the threat of involvement in the Russian invasion of Ukraine, the possible overwhelming of medical care in Ukraine and neighboring countries, and among millions of refugees.
Without going further back than US history, we have two notable examples. George Washington lost his first two battles due to troops being overwhelmed with smallpox. He then mandated that all his troops be vaccinated with cowpox to remove the lethal effects of smallpox. So the formation of the US that patriots so love was dependent on a vaccine mandate.
The spread of the so-called Spanish Flu in 1918 was supposed to have moved into America in a military base in Kansas by troops returning from World War I. The 1918 Flu was circulating among many European countries but only Spain did not suppress mention of it. Possibly 50 million died worldwide from the Flu and 675,000 in the US. People wore masks, but they were gauze and presumably ineffective. They also quarantined, distanced, and tried to isolate cities.
Russia has 53% of the population with 1 or more shots, but only 49% are fully vaccinated. Only 9.1% have had booster shots. Military service of two years is mandatory in Russia, and troops are urged to be vaccinated, but not required. I find it odd that in a country with total control of propaganda, that they have not done better.
The Russian vaccine is Sputnik-V. It’s action against severe disease is only 67% protective, and against infection is only 44% protective. We expect most troops are young and would not be severely affected by the Omicron variant, where 80%-90% of infections are asymptomatic anyway.
In Russia, IHME projection has two vaccine doses constant at 48%. 12 years and older have 60-70% vaccination. Mask use is 48%, about the same as the US. The infection peak was January 20th at 3.8 million per day. The hospitalization peak was February 5th at 139,000. They are two and a half weeks behind the US in infections and hospitalizations.
Total and reported Russian deaths by June 1 are 739,180, and today they are 703,131, leaving 36,049 more to go. Total Deaths per Day will peak on February 12 at 2,137 per day. This is two weeks behind the US.
In Ukraine, with 44 million population, 35% have received one shot or more, and 33% are fully vaccinated. Their main vaccines are Pfizer and Sinovac, both good. No boosters are listed there.
In Belarus, with 9.4 million population, collaborating with Russia, 57% have been give one or more shots, and 45% are fully vaccinated. Only 3% have been given a booster shot.
In Poland, with 38 million, 58% have been fully vaccinated, and 28% have been boosted.
In Romania, with 19.3 million, 41% are fully vaccinated, with no results for boosting listed.
In the Baltics, Estonia (1.3 million) has 63% fully vaccinated, Latvia (1.9 million ) has 67% with 24% boosted, and Lithuania (2.8 million) has 67% with 32% boosted.
Slovakia (5.5 million) has 58% fully vaccinated with 30% boosted.
Bulgaria (6.9 million) has only 29% vaccinated with 9% boosted.
Hungary (9.7 million) has 66% with one shot or more and 62% fully vaccinated, and 39% boosted.
Moldova (2.6 million) is not in NATO and has 38% fully vaccinated with 3% boosted.
