July 27, 2021

Starry-Eyed and Vaccinated


Starry-Eyed and Vaccinated
Constellations and vaccinations Josh Rangel, Unsplash

On July 20, Meduza reported that astrologer Vasilisa Volodina, the Russian television personality and host of Russia’s Channel One show “Let’s Get Married!,” is identifying “safe” days for individuals to be vaccinated – based on their astrological birth charts.

Volodina began uploading lists of general astrological predictions to her Instagram page at the beginning of July that included advice on when to be vaccinated. Her followers began bombarding her with requests to predict the most auspicious days for their vaccinations.

Overwhelmed, Volodina directed them to her YouTube channel, where she listed ideal times for individuals born on specific dates to be vaccinated. She recommends that those seeking to be vaccinated first consult a doctor about their individual circumstances, but claims her predictions will help people avoid high temperatures, allergic reactions, and other negative effects of vaccination.

People were concerned about what would happen if they were not vaccinated in Moscow, or whether other days in the month would also suffice. Volodina regretted that she would not be able to “make all cities happy every day” with her prognoses, but for a fee of only R2300 (about $30 US dollars) and a period of five days, individuals could have their own “Astro-Calendar for Safe Vaccinations.”

Volodina cautions her fans not to let a less-than-perfect general prediction dissuade them from being vaccinated. “The way out is not to wait for the sun to shine.”

 

You Might Also Like

Sputnik V: First Place or Long Shot?
  • March 01, 2021

Sputnik V: First Place or Long Shot?

The Russia vaccine seems top-notch, but low public trust and a botched rollout remain formidable barriers to returning to normalcy.
Life in Isolation
  • September 01, 2020

Life in Isolation

We have all had to experience some unplanned isolation during the pandemic. So we decided to visit some Russians who have long been living isolated lives.
Doses Down the Drain
  • July 20, 2021

Doses Down the Drain

While most Russians aren't known to shy away from free shots (vaccine or otherwise), one administrator is under investigation for selling documents sans immunizations.
The Right Dosage
  • July 14, 2021

The Right Dosage

“Sex after administration of the vaccine does not cause any side effects in people of any age. As a matter of fact, sexual activity provides a lot of satisfaction and pleasure. People’s fears go away, as sex 'turns off' the head and relieves stress.” – Sexologist sexologist Andrei Lygachin, refuting the idea that individuals should avoid sex after being vaccinated against COVID-19.
Cracking the QR Code
  • July 12, 2021

Cracking the QR Code

In Moscow, a pair of legs with hot red stilettos on one end and a plush purple QR code at the other flounced down a Moscow street and into a restaurant.
Like this post? Get a weekly email digest + member-only deals

Some of Our Books

Driving Down Russia's Spine

Driving Down Russia's Spine

The story of the epic Spine of Russia trip, intertwining fascinating subject profiles with digressions into historical and cultural themes relevant to understanding modern Russia. 
Marooned in Moscow

Marooned in Moscow

This gripping autobiography plays out against the backdrop of Russia's bloody Civil War, and was one of the first Western eyewitness accounts of life in post-revolutionary Russia. Marooned in Moscow provides a fascinating account of one woman's entry into war-torn Russia in early 1920, first-person impressions of many in the top Soviet leadership, and accounts of the author's increasingly dangerous work as a journalist and spy, to say nothing of her work on behalf of prisoners, her two arrests, and her eventual ten-month-long imprisonment, including in the infamous Lubyanka prison. It is a veritable encyclopedia of life in Russia in the early 1920s.
Russian Rules

Russian Rules

From the shores of the White Sea to Moscow and the Northern Caucasus, Russian Rules is a high-speed thriller based on actual events, terrifying possibilities, and some really stupid decisions.
Steppe / Степь (bilingual)

Steppe / Степь (bilingual)

This is the work that made Chekhov, launching his career as a writer and playwright of national and international renown. Retranslated and updated, this new bilingual edition is a super way to improve your Russian.
The Samovar Murders

The Samovar Murders

The murder of a poet is always more than a murder. When a famous writer is brutally stabbed on the campus of Moscow’s Lumumba University, the son of a recently deposed African president confesses, and the case assumes political implications that no one wants any part of.
A Taste of Russia

A Taste of Russia

The definitive modern cookbook on Russian cuisine has been totally updated and redesigned in a 30th Anniversary Edition. Layering superbly researched recipes with informative essays on the dishes' rich historical and cultural context, A Taste of Russia includes over 200 recipes on everything from borshch to blini, from Salmon Coulibiac to Beef Stew with Rum, from Marinated Mushrooms to Walnut-honey Filled Pies. A Taste of Russia shows off the best that Russian cooking has to offer. Full of great quotes from Russian literature about Russian food and designed in a convenient wide format that stays open during use.
Davai! The Russians and Their Vodka

Davai! The Russians and Their Vodka

In this comprehensive, quixotic and addictive book, Edwin Trommelen explores all facets of the Russian obsession with vodka. Peering chiefly through the lenses of history and literature, Trommelen offers up an appropriately complex, rich and bittersweet portrait, based on great respect for Russian culture.
Murder at the Dacha

Murder at the Dacha

Senior Lieutenant Pavel Matyushkin has a problem. Several, actually. Not the least of them is the fact that a powerful Soviet boss has been murdered, and Matyushkin's surly commander has given him an unreasonably short time frame to close the case.
Moscow and Muscovites

Moscow and Muscovites

Vladimir Gilyarovsky's classic portrait of the Russian capital is one of Russians’ most beloved books. Yet it has never before been translated into English. Until now! It is a spectactular verbal pastiche: conversation, from gutter gibberish to the drawing room; oratory, from illiterates to aristocrats; prose, from boilerplate to Tolstoy; poetry, from earthy humor to Pushkin. 
Survival Russian

Survival Russian

Survival Russian is an intensely practical guide to conversational, colloquial and culture-rich Russian. It uses humor, current events and thematically-driven essays to deepen readers’ understanding of Russian language and culture. This enlarged Second Edition of Survival Russian includes over 90 essays and illuminates over 2000 invaluable Russian phrases and words.

About Us

Russian Life is a publication of a 30-year-young, award-winning publishing house that creates a bimonthly magazine, books, maps, and other products for Russophiles the world over.

Latest Posts

Our Contacts

Russian Life
73 Main Street, Suite 402
Montpelier VT 05602

802-223-4955