Thread by @samagreene

This is a bad headline — but it’s even worse policy. TL;DR on a quick thread: The US (and Europe) should open doors to Russian citizens vaccinated with Sputnik-V. washingtonpost.com/world/2021/09/…

First, on the headline: the US isn’t actually closing the door on Russians or anyone else. It’s opening the door to people vaccinated with WHO-approved vaccines (more or less) — a list that doesn’t include any of the vaccines available in Russia.

But while not opening the door isn’t the same as closing it, Russians could be forgiven for seeing the difference as somewhat trifling.

Now, I can already hear the howls from some on here: “Who cares!” We should all care.

Whatever you think of Russia’s government, the recent Duma “elections” should have disabused you of any residual notion of ordinary Russians’ ability to put pressure on the Kremlin. Russians have no more real franchise now than Chinese citizens do.

So, let’s put aside arguments about this giving Russians reason or leverage to demand change. That’s la la land. Instead, this policy isolates ordinary Russians and makes them even more hostage to their misrulers.

But as bad as this is diplomatically, it’s even worse from a public health standpoint. Covid is raging in Russia, and many Russians — like many Americans — are skeptical of the vaccines that are available to them. This will only deepen that hesitancy, costing more lives.

There may (or may not) be good reasons why the WHO hasn’t approved Sputnik. I don’t know. But the evidence is that it’s generally effective, and it’s certainly more effective than nothing.

Forget what the Kremlin wants for a minute: Ordinary Russians need more Russians to get the vaccine. Any reasonably effective vaccine. Now. Washington (and Europe) can help make that happen by accepting “Sputniked” travelers.