‘Russia's Chances Against Coronavirus’: Sizing up the country's healthcare capacity and social readiness for a pandemic

As COVID-19 spreads rapidly across the world, the disease is pushing healthcare systems to the brink. The number of reported cases is low but rising in Russia, where officials have imposed limits on public assemblies and major events, while resisting the more drastic measures deployed in Asia and now rolling out in the West.

To get a better grasp of what to expect from Russia's hospitals and medical science, “The Naked Pravda” turned to a handful of experts who study healthcare in Russia. We also spoke to several people living in Moscow, to hear about life on the ground during the pandemic.

In this episode:

• (3:04) Yale University Professor of Epidemiology and of Pharmacology Robert Heimer explains how a coronavirus test actually works.
• (6:11) Virginia Commonwealth University Professor of Political Science Judyth Twigg highlights the flaws in Russia's official coronavirus case numbers.
• (13:41) Georgetown University Professor Emeritus of Government and International Affairs Harley Balzer pours cold water on claims that Russian import substitution has been a success.

“The Naked Pravda” comes out on Fridays. Catch every new episode by subscribing at Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, or other platforms. If you have a question or comment about the show, please write to Kevin Rothrock at [email protected] with the subject line: “The Naked Pravda.”