Local restrictions to contain Covid-19

Romania imposes new restrictions locally amid spike in daily Covid-19 cases.

Daniela Budu, 07.10.2020, 14:00

Faced with over 2,000 daily
infections and rising numbers of deaths and patients in intensive care, the
National Committee for Emergency Situations has announced new restrictions
aimed at curbing the spread of the novel coronavirus. The restrictions are to
be imposed locally, depending on the infection rate in each area. Localities
with an infection rate of over 3 people per 1,000 inhabitants in the last 14
days will be placed into full lockdown.

In localities where this
figure exceeds only 1.5 per 1,000 inhabitants, events such as weddings and
baptisms will be banned and restaurants and cafes closed. In the aforementioned
areas, the authorities are also considering closing or suspending the activity
of businesses that don’t respect the rules, with public and private companies being
recommended to implement remote working wherever possible or shift-based work. While
further compliance checks have been announced, the authorities are also relying
on the population to cooperate by wearing face masks, respecting social
distancing rules, and disinfecting hands and surfaces, all of which should
eventually lead to a drop in the number of new cases.

In Bucharest, which has the
highest rate of new daily infections in the country, fresh measures have also
been put in place. Indoor restaurants and cafes are to close, the holding of private
events in public venues is forbidden, the wearing of face masks is mandatory
within 100m of schools, while more compliance checks are to be conducted on
public transport as well as at markets and indoor swimming pools. Cinemas, theatres
and concert halls have also been forced to close in Bucharest.

The authorities have said that
the measures will stay in place as long as the infection rate remains at over
1.5 per 1,000 inhabitants and will be reviewed every seven days. The health
minister Nelu Tătaru said that almost a quarter of all intensive care beds in
the country are currently occupied, with the occupancy rate in Bucharest at
almost 100 per cent.

Also coming into force on
Wednesday, as a result of the alarming growth in new coronavirus cases
internationally, travellers arriving in Romania from countries with a high infection
risk are to be told to isolate for 14 days. The updated list of countries to
which this measure applies contains 49 different states, including Spain,
France, Great Britain, The Netherlands, Belgium, Hungary and the Republic of
Moldova. Travellers intending to spend fewer than three days in Romania and who
produce a negative coronavirus test, conducted within the previous 48 hours, upon
entry into the country will be exempt from the requirement to isolate. Additionally,
travellers from the countries on the aforementioned list will be allowed to
leave isolation after only ten days if they have a coronavirus test on the 8th
day of their isolation for which they receive a negative result.