Wearing protective masks while out mandatory in six Romanian counties

Local authorities in six counties have decided that residents of certain localities must wear protective masks or other types of protective items when they go out. The measures are varying from one county to another, for instance in Hunedoara county only the residents of the town of Simeria are compelled to wear the masks.

Besides Simeria, Hunedoara and Maramures county, the obligation to wear protective items in the public space is also enforced in Galati, Iasi, Vaslui and Suceava.

People going out to stores, pharmacies or those who use the public transportation must wear masks.

On Sunday, state secretary for emergency situation has called on everyone to wear masks, either surgical masks or improvised items. He argued if people cannot find to buy surgical/medical masks, they ‘can improvise something at home’. “It will take us some time to get used with this habit, but, from the information we have so far, it would be better to start applying this habit as soon as possible“, Arafat argued.

However, PM Ludovic Orban stated that the obligation to wear protective masks cannot be imposed as long as there is no possibility of providing citizens with these masks at reasonable prices.