New restrictions to keep pandemic at bay

The government in Bucharest has adopted and announced fresh restrictions aimed at preventing the spread of the novel coronavirus

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Roxana Vasile, 26.03.2021, 14:00

Against the increasing number of Sars-CoV-2
infections, the government in Bucharest on Thursday night endorsed and
announced fresh restrictions in an attempt to limit the spread of the novel
coronavirus. So, the regions with an infection rate over 4 cases per thousand,
will be imposed a night curfew over the weekend starting at 20 hours, not at 22
as on weekdays. Shops are to close their doors at 18 hours during the weekend
as well. The measures are to become valid for the entire week if the rate of
infection exceeds 7.5 per thousand.

Gyms in the areas with an infection rate over 4 per
thousand are to suspend their activity. They can resume functioning when this
rate goes below 3.5 per thousand. Some restrictions have been relaxed though
for the upcoming religious holidays observed by some religious denominations.
Here is state secretary Raed Arafat with more on the issue.

Raed Arafat: On the night
between March 27th and 28th, on Saturday and Sunday, the
curfew will start at 22 hours allowing people to attend the religious services
of Pesach. On the night between April 3rd and 4th, people
will be allowed to travel outside their households between 20 hours and 2 hours
in the night to be able to attend the religious services of the Catholic
Easter.

Authorities are yet to announce the relaxation
measures for the Orthodox Easter due over May 1st and 2nd.
On the other hand, as part of the same
measures of preventing the spread of the novel coronavirus, Romania’s Health
Minister Vlad Voiculescu, has announced the setting up of a legal framework for
the rapid antigen tests in pharmacies across the country. The move comes amid
justified criticism over the small daily number of tests carried out in the
public system.

According to Minister Voiculescu the aforementioned
tests will be made available at affordable prices and the patients who tested
positive are to be included in a special platform and monitored by family
physicians just like those revealed by the PCR tests. In case symptoms worsened
they would be made available a special action guide.

At the same time physicians specialized in
non-infectious diseases will be allowed to treat patients infected with
Covid-19. Minister Voiculescu has explained that if these physicians are
complying with the practice protocols approved by the Health Ministry, they
will not be held accountable for any possible prejudices on the job. Talks are
also underway for the treatment of those infected in hospitals which aren’t
specialized in the treatment of infectious diseases, provided their
infrastructure allows it, doing away with the notion of Covid and non-Covid
hospitals.

(bill)