Romania’s Minister of Health, Alexandru Rafila, declared on Wednesday that no restrictions will be introduced in Romania, despite the new wave of COVID-19 in China, as well as the present flu wave in Romania.
Rafila was asked by TVR Info whether the reintroduction of restrictions is being taken into consideration in the Romanian case, in the context of discussions related to China and those traveling from this country to Europe.
Rafila answered firmly: „No. It is one thing to control, for example, the flow of passengers in an area affected by intense circulation of the strain [of the coronavirus] and another thing is to discuss restrictions. I have said very clearly that we are not introducing any kind of restrictions, we only have recommendations. (…) The only restrictions, if you want, but I would put the quotes, are related to the activity in hospitals where the staff must be properly equipped, wear a mask and anyone who comes into contact with the patient must do the same thing to reduce the risks for the patient. Likewise, the limitation for a short period of visits, maybe two – three weeks, depending on the local situation, and this is generated by the consultation with the local Public Health Directorate. It is a common measure that is always taken during a flu epidemic”.
He mentioned that the Romanian authorities did not ultimately declare a flu epidemic this winter, considering that this approach would lead to the imposition of restrictions as a result of the legal provisions adopted in 2020, which were quite strict.
„We did not declare a flu epidemic. If we were in the spot we’d been in four years ago, we would have declared an epidemic. In the meantime, a normative act appeared, at the beginning of 2020, law no. 136, which introduces, when a state of epidemic is declared, a series of restrictions, such as mandatory isolation, quarantine. I don’t think they are appropriate measures for the period we are in. They are not justified from a medical point of view, and they are not justified from an economic and social point of view either”, Rafila mentioned explained.
