PM: Possible restrictions considered, yet Romania is not in the situation of other European states

Prime Minister Ludovic Orban said on Sunday that Romania is not in the situation of other European countries that have imposed restrictions due to the dramatic increase in the number of coronavirus cases, yet underlining that authorities “are assessing possible measures.”

“The National Emergencies Committee (CNSU) usually convenes on Monday for the weekly update of the situation with the countries and for, possibly, the adoption of other measures that are necessary. We are assessing possible measures. If we take any additional decision, we will make it public (…) For now, I have told you, we are analyzing the effects of the measures we have already taken to extend the state of alert,” Orban said, while attending the event inaugurating a call center of Bucharest Public Health Directorate at National Arena in Bucharest, together with the Bucharest mayor, Nicusor Dan and Bucharest prefect, Traian Berbeceanu.

The prime minister stressed though that Romania is not in the situation of other countries in terms of number of infections.

“The measures taken by different European countries have been taken following a dramatic increase in the number of cases. Romania, for example, is not in the situation of other countries in terms of the number of infections and especially in terms of rate of increase in the number of daily infections. We have forecast such measures. Look at the measures taken by Germany: closing restaurants, theaters. We have closed such activities everywhere where the rate of three per thousand has been exceeded. We have banned from the extension of the state of emergency private events such as weddings, christenings, festive meals and other activities that gather a lot of people in a place and where the rules of sanitary protection are not observed.We have taken such measures, but the measures are conditioned by the exceeding of a certain index of virus spreading within the community (…) So we have such measures in place. Of course many are presented as … lockdown – now the term is fashionable. It is not! Lockdown is, for example, what Israel did, which closed all unnecessary activities and introduced traffic restrictions. And in terms of traffic restrictions, traffic restrictions were introduced in three countries, but at night they were introduced after 22:00 and, obviously, where there was indeed a very large increase in the number of cases,” the prime minister explained.

As for Bucharest, the PM mentioned that the restrictions adopted two weeks ago will be also evaluated.

In his turn, the new mayor of Bucharest, Nicusor Dan said that no general lockdown is envisaged in the Capital city, but one street or two can be quarantined at the most. He also ruled out the possibility of placing an entire district under quarantine.

He said that the local authorities, the local Police or the Gendarmerie are assessing now the hypothesis of quarantining a street or more where the incidence of infections is very high. “There is a expertize within these authorities on how movement can be restricted on a street and allow only the people with special needs”, Nicusor Dan said.