Medics wearing a special suit to protect against coronavirus treat a patient with coronavirus at an ICU at the Moscow City Clinical Hospital 52, in Moscow, Russia, Tuesday, Oct. 19, 2021. Russia hit another daily record of coronavirus deaths Tuesday as rapidly surging infection rates raised pressure on the country's health care system and prompted the government to suggest declaring a nonworking week.(AP Photo/Alexander Zemlianichenko)
The Associated Press
MOSCOW (AP) - Russia's coronavirus deaths surged to another daily record Wednesday as soaring infections prompted the Cabinet to suggest declaring a nonworking week to stem contagion.
The government task force reported 1,028 coronavirus deaths over the past 24 hours, the highest number since the start of the pandemic. That brought the total death toll to 226,353 - by far the highest in Europe.
Amid a spike in infections and deaths, Deputy Prime Minister Tatyana Golikova suggested introducing a nonworking period starting Oct. 30 and extending through the following week, when four of seven days already are state holidays. The proposal is yet to be authorized by Russian President Vladimir Putin.
The daily coronavirus mortality numbers have been surging for weeks and topped 1,000 for the first time over the weekend amid sluggish vaccination rates, lax public attitude toward taking precautions and the government's reluctance to toughen restrictions. About 45 million Russians, or 32% of the country's nearly 146 million people, are fully vaccinated.
Even though Russia in August 2020 became the first country of the world to authorize a coronavirus vaccine and vaccines are plentiful, Russians have shown hesitancy about getting the shots, a skepticism blamed on conflicting signals sent by authorities.
Until now, the Kremlin has ruled out a new nationwide lockdown like the one early on in the pandemic that dealt a heavy blow to the economy and sapped Putin's popularity, empowering regional authorities across the country's 11 time zones to decide on local restrictions, depending on their situation.
Many of Russia's 85 regions already have restricted attendance at large public events and limited access to theaters, restaurants and other venues. Some have made vaccinations compulsory for certain public servants and people over 60.
In Moscow, however, life has continued as usual, with restaurants and movie theaters brimming with people, crowds swarming nightclubs and karaoke bars and commuters widely ignoring mask mandates on public transportation even as ICUs have filled in recent weeks.
On Tuesday, Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin said unvaccinated people over 60 will be required to stay home. He also told businesses to keep at least a third of their employees working remotely for three months starting Oct. 25.
Medics wearing a special suit to protect against coronavirus treat a patient with coronavirus at an ICU at the Moscow City Clinical Hospital 52, in Moscow, Russia, Tuesday, Oct. 19, 2021. Russia hit another daily record of coronavirus deaths Tuesday as rapidly surging infection rates raised pressure on the country's health care system and prompted the government to suggest declaring a nonworking week.(AP Photo/Alexander Zemlianichenko)
The Associated Press
A medic wearing a special suit to protect against coronavirus treats a patient with coronavirus at an ICU at the Moscow City Clinical Hospital 52, in Moscow, Russia, Tuesday, Oct. 19, 2021. Russia hit another daily record of coronavirus deaths Tuesday as rapidly surging infection rates raised pressure on the country's health care system and prompted the government to suggest declaring a nonworking week.(AP Photo/Alexander Zemlianichenko)
The Associated Press
Medics wearing special suits to protect against coronavirus treat a patient with coronavirus at an ICU at the Moscow City Clinical Hospital 52, in Moscow, Russia, Tuesday, Oct. 19, 2021. Russia hit another daily record of coronavirus deaths Tuesday as rapidly surging infection rates raised pressure on the country's health care system and prompted the government to suggest declaring a nonworking week.(AP Photo/Alexander Zemlianichenko)
The Associated Press
Medics wearing special suits to protect against coronavirus move a patient with coronavirus at an ICU at the Moscow City Clinical Hospital 52, in Moscow, Russia, Tuesday, Oct. 19, 2021. Russia hit another daily record of coronavirus deaths Tuesday as rapidly surging infection rates raised pressure on the country's health care system and prompted the government to suggest declaring a nonworking week.(AP Photo/Alexander Zemlianichenko)
The Associated Press
Medics wearing special suits to protect against COVID-19 treat a patient with coronavirus at an ICU at the Moscow City Clinical Hospital 52, in Moscow, Russia, Tuesday, Oct. 19, 2021. Russia hit another daily record of coronavirus deaths Tuesday as rapidly surging infection rates raised pressure on the country's health care system and prompted the government to suggest declaring a nonworking week.(AP Photo/Alexander Zemlianichenko)
The Associated Press
A medic wearing a special suit to protect against coronavirus sits near a patient with coronavirus at an ICU at the Moscow City Clinical Hospital 52, in Moscow, Russia, Tuesday, Oct. 19, 2021. Russia hit another daily record of coronavirus deaths Tuesday as rapidly surging infection rates raised pressure on the country's health care system and prompted the government to suggest declaring a nonworking week.(AP Photo/Alexander Zemlianichenko)
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Medics wearing special suits to protect against coronavirus treat a patient with coronavirus, left, as others prepare a patent to move at an ICU at the Moscow City Clinical Hospital 52, in Moscow, Russia, Tuesday, Oct. 19, 2021. Russia hit another daily record of coronavirus deaths Tuesday as rapidly surging infection rates raised pressure on the country's health care system and prompted the government to suggest declaring a nonworking week. (AP Photo/Alexander Zemlianichenko)
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Patients with coronavirus are in the intensive ward of an ICU at the Moscow City Clinical Hospital 52, in Moscow, Russia, Tuesday, Oct. 19, 2021. Russia hit another daily record of coronavirus deaths Tuesday as rapidly surging infection rates raised pressure on the country's health care system and prompted the government to suggest declaring a nonworking week.(AP Photo/Alexander Zemlianichenko)
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Georgy N. Arbolishvili, M.D., Ph.D. , Head of Resuscitation and Intensive Care Unit (ICU No. 3) of the Moscow City Clinical Hospital 52, speaks during his interview with the Associated Press in Moscow, Russia, Tuesday, Oct. 19, 2021. Medics blame the country's quickly mounting infections and deaths on a slow vaccine uptake. Russia hit another daily record of coronavirus deaths Tuesday as rapidly surging infection rates raised pressure on the country's health care system and prompted the government to suggest declaring a nonworking week. (AP Photo/Alexander Zemlianichenko)
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Irina P. Beloglazova, M.D., Ph.D., Associate Professor, Internist, Pulmonologist, Head of Internal Medicine Department No. 4 of the Moscow City Clinical Hospital 52, speaks during her interview with the Associated Press in Moscow, Russia, Tuesday, Oct. 19, 2021. Russia hit another daily record of coronavirus deaths Tuesday as rapidly surging infection rates raised pressure on the country's health care system and prompted the government to suggest declaring a nonworking week. Medics blame the country's quickly mounting infections and deaths on a slow vaccine uptake. (AP Photo/Alexander Zemlianichenko)
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Medics wearing special suits to protect against coronavirus prepare to move a patient with coronavirus at an ICU at the Moscow City Clinical Hospital 52, in Moscow, Russia, Tuesday, Oct. 19, 2021. Russia hit another daily record of coronavirus deaths Tuesday as rapidly surging infection rates raised pressure on the country's health care system and prompted the government to suggest declaring a nonworking week.(AP Photo/Alexander Zemlianichenko)
The Associated Press
Medics wearing special suits to protect against coronavirus make a briefing as they come to treat a patient with coronavirus at an ICU at the Moscow City Clinical Hospital 52, in Moscow, Russia, Tuesday, Oct. 19, 2021. Russia hit another daily record of coronavirus deaths Tuesday as rapidly surging infection rates raised pressure on the country's health care system and prompted the government to suggest declaring a nonworking week.(AP Photo/Alexander Zemlianichenko)
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Natavan A. Ibragimova, Internist of Internal Medicine Department No. 4 of the Moscow City Clinical Hospital 52, speaks during her interview with the Associated Press in Moscow, Russia, Tuesday, Oct. 19, 2021. Patients who have gotten the vaccine usually don't have serious symptoms, Ibragimova added, while the unvaccinated come to regret it. Russia hit another daily record of coronavirus deaths Tuesday as rapidly surging infection rates raised pressure on the country's health care system and prompted the government to suggest declaring a nonworking week. Medics blame the country's quickly mounting infections and deaths on a slow vaccine uptake. (AP Photo/Alexander Zemlianichenko)
The Associated Press