It is no secret that when introducing a rather tough "self-isolation regime" in connection with the coronavirus pandemic last year, the Russian authorities, in addition to combating the spread of the disease, probably kept in mind other positive results that it was supposed to give. Including an increase in the birth rate, which would be very useful in the context of a demographic catastrophe in the country. And what can people do when locked up, if not sex? - thought the officials. Alas, network analyst Andrey Nalgin found out that statistics tell the opposite...
So, already in January 2021, children conceived at the beginning of the pandemic were supposed to be born. They were born - 106.6 thousand, which is 12 thousand less than in the same period of 2020.
Moreover, the birth rate fell most of all in the Moscow region - by 17%, in St. Petersburg - by 20% and in Tatarstan - by 15.6%. And so on in decreasing order in almost all regions of Russia...
It grew only in five regions of the country: in Moscow - by 14.5%, in Dagestan - by 19.5%, Tuva - by 18%, and quite a bit in Chukotka and the Pskov region.
From which Nalgin draws a completely fair conclusion: "When people saw that they were left alone with difficulties and a crisis - and having a child in Russia is a step towards poverty, especially when he is the second or third - a healthy instinct for survival woke up..."
There remains, however, the hope that the situation was helped by Putin's payments for children, with which the authorities lured citizens to vote to reset the presidential terms. There are 3-4 months left to wait...