Infection rate surges to 6.33 in Bucharest. Schools shall remain open, restaurants open for vaccinated

The Covid-19 infection rate reported to 14 days has reached 6.33 per one thousand inhabitants in Bucharest, the Public Health Direction announced on Wednesday.

One day ago, the incidence rate was 5.57.

One month ago, on August 29, the incidence of Covid-19 in Bucharest was 0.74 per thousand inhabitants, according to the DSP website.

According to the rules, when the incidence of infections in a locality reaches 6 per thousand, new restrictions on night and weekend quarantine come into force.

Thus, unvaccinated people will be able to go out  on weekends only from 5.00 to 20.00, with certain exceptions, respectively after filling in an affidavit explaining their reasons for leaving their houses.

People who have been vaccinated for at least 10 days can travel without restrictions, but they must have a green vaccination certificate.

The shops close at 18.00. Indoor restaurants and cafés as well as terraces are closed, with only home delivery allowed. Fitness rooms and swimming pools also closed down, and weddings and christenings are prohibited.

However, Romanian PM Citu has just announced that authorities plan to amend the restriction on restaurants and terraces, so that they should remain open for vaccinated people, regardless of the Covid incidence rate.

Schools are also supposed to end the physical attendance and go online, if the infection rate goes beyond 6 per 1,000, but authorities consider lifting this restriction and allow pupils to go to school even if the incidence rate is higher than 6/1,000.

Not long ago, Education minister Sorin Cimpeanu stated that schools will be “disconnected” from the rule that says they will go online if the infection rate climbs over 6/1,000. The minister explained that the decision to suspend physical attendance in classes will be taken in accordance to the Covid infections confirmed at classroom/school level.

Sorin Cîmpeanu had previously said this morning that “the relevant education authorities” want to leave schools open as is the case with kindergartens and nurseries, and beyond this threshold.

Number of vaccinated pupils on the rise, from 100 to 1,700 daily

On the other hand, the minister said that the number of pupils vaccinated against Covid-19 is increasing from one week to another. Cimpeanu announced that around 12,000 pupils had taken the anti-Covid jab in the past week. In the first week of school, 1,000 pupils were vaccinated on average on a daily basis, and now the number increased to 1,700. Before the school start the number was significantly lower, around 100 vaccinated students per day.

“It is a significant upward trend, a progress that proves these actions are not in vain“, he added.

Overall, the official statistics say that over 215,000 pupils aged 12 to 19 had taken at least one dose of the Covid jab in Romania so far.