The First and Second Waves of the COVID‑19 Pandemic in the Russian Regions: Comparison of the Change in the Mortality Rate

The emergence of the COVID‑19 pandemic has become a new global challenge for the whole humankind affecting all spheres of society. The purpose of this article is to identify the complex effect of various factors on the mortality rate in Russian regions during the first and second waves of the coronavirus pandemic. As the information base of the study, official statistical publications («Regions of Russia», «Natural Population Movement») were used, as well as data from the official Internet resource on the situation with the incidence of COVID‑19 in the regions of Russia. With the help of economic and mathematical tools, the impact of demographic, socio-economic, environmental, medical and geographical factors on the mortality rate in Russian regions was assessed. The calculations allowed to establish the causes of a significant increase in mortality in the Russian regions, as well as to identify significant differences between the first and second waves of the pandemic. The study showed that demographic and geographical factors played the leading role, but their influence at different time periods had its own characteristics. The coronavirus pandemic accelerated the process of reducing the country’s population, and also caused significant damage to the Russian economy. The results of the study can be used in the field of medico-demographic policy aimed at preserving the social (population) health of the nation