Face masks will be compulsory outdoors again

Romanian authorities are getting ready for the 5th wave of the coronavirus pandemic

Eugen Coroianu, 06.01.2022, 14:00

Romanian authorities are getting ready for the 5th wave of the coronavirus pandemic, which according to some estimates may cause up to one million active infection cases.

The first measure is to reintroduce compulsory face covering both outdoors and indoors, as the head of the Department for Emergency Situations Raed Arafat announced. The measure concerns surgical masks or FFP2 masks, which provide better protection, and eliminates cloth masks, which are inefficient with the Omicron variant.

Raed Arafat also announced that other restrictions will be reintroduced, depending on the case frequency. A decision made by the National Committee on Emergency Situations on Wednesday introduces a 30% of capacity ceiling for concerts and cinema halls in places with more than one case per thousand people, and a similar ceiling for restaurants in places with frequency rates above 3 per thousand.

Arafat added that access will remain conditional on the digital COVID certificate. He warned businesses that they risk having to suspend operations as a large number of their employees will get infected unless protection rules are observed.

The face covering rule will allow for exceptions, such as for sports activities. Critical infrastructure units may introduce compulsory testing for employees or the obligation to wear FFP2 masks, the same official added, and mentioned the example of the Cernavodă nuclear power plant.

Healthcare authorities also announced that people with moderate forms of the disease will be able to choose from 160 outpatient centres. The health minister Alexandru Rafila said the goal was to reduce the number of severe forms and of fatalities, and the healthcare system is being organised so as to streamline case referral.

In turn, the coordinator of the vaccine rollout, Valeriu Gheorghiţă, explained that the Omicrons airborne transmission and shorter incubation times compared to previous variants make immunisation the best form of protection from severe forms. “Vaccination and the administration of the booster dose to eligible citizens remains a priority, because this is the way to reduce the number of patients who will need anti-viral treatment, hospitalisation, intensive care, and the number of fatalities,” Valeriu Gheorghiță said.

Romania is last but one in the EU in terms of vaccination, with only 41 of the population having received the serum so far, and little over 2 million people having also received the booster. (tr. A.M. Popescu)