The third wave of the coronavirus pandemic and vaccination were listed as Russians’ topmost fears in the second quarter of 2021, according to the National Anxieties Index report. These two topped the ranking, exceeding all other fears by a wide margin.
Fear has given rise to a variety of myths and horror stories about the vaccine jabs. According to some of the theories, COVID-19 vaccines contain harmful heavy metals, which can be detected using a thermal imager; people who agreed to be vaccinated will die from blood clots in a couple of years; a microchip is inserted with the COVID-19 vaccine; everyone who is not vaccinated will be fired.
Residents of Moscow and St. Petersburg were most concerned about vaccinations and new waves of the coronavirus morbidity.
Abnormal weather was listed in the third place; this phobia appeared especially common in Moscow, St. Petersburg, the Krasnodar Territory and Crimea.
Other things Russians are afraid of include rising prices, telephone scams, tick bites and another deadly infection known as Indian black fungus.