Restrictions in the holiday season

While the number of towns and villages added to the quarantine list continues to rise, Romanians continue to book holidays on the Black Seacoast

Roxana Vasile, 27.07.2020, 14:00

Against the backdrop of the daily increase in the number of COVID-19
infections, more and more towns and villages are placed in quarantine for 14
days. The latest name on the list is Faget, in western Romania, and three
auxiliary villages. The measure was introduced after dozens of locals reported
sick and another 100 people made direct contact with them. Medical and
auxiliary staff at the local hospital have also tested positive. Police
officers are checking the necessary documents allowing people to enter or leave
the area. People must sign statements attesting their movement for justified
reasons only, such as work, transport of goods, agricultural works, medical
emergencies or social assistance. Faget Mayor Marcel Avram:

We hope people
won’t panic. They won’t be able to leave town except for sound reasons. They
can travel freely inside the town, for work and groceries. Face masks are
compulsory in institutions and stores. I hope they grow more aware of the
danger and take greater care.

The authorities
are also closely monitoring areas in Arges County in the south, which ranks 4th
in terms of the total number of infections. Meanwhile, encouraged by the good
weather, over 100 thousand people visited Black Seacoast resorts last weekend,
to the authorities’ despair. Officials see this as a great impediment to their
efforts to combat the pandemic. After the states of emergency and alert and the
number of harsh lockdown restrictions that kept them behind closed doors all
spring, Romanians chose to spend the holidays at home, also faced with travel
restrictions introduced by a number of European states. Thus beaches are
overcrowded in the early morning hours. Whether lying on the beach or bathing
in the water, people are too close to each other, some denying the existence of
the virus altogether. Others say they are trying to observe the authorities’
recommendations. The Government has recommended all tourists seek less crowded
areas and wear face masks, where possible, even in open-air areas. Meanwhile
the authorities continue to verify all prevention measures are being observed
and to hand out fines to economic operators on the Black Seacoast.

(Translated by
V. Palcu)