Restaurants, cafes, cinemas to close in the Romanian capital amid a spike in Covid-19 cases

Foto: INQUAM/Octav Ganea

Restaurants, cafes and cinemas will close in the Romanian capital after Covid-19 cases soared in the last week, authorities said.

Bucharest Prefect Gheorghe Cojan said the new measures were valid for the next week,  and came about because there were more than 1.5 cases per 1,000 inhabitants.

Bucharest reported 403 new cases on Tuesday, double last week’s figures but lower than Monday when 562 cases were registered.

Restaurants with outdoor seating can still operate, authorities said. Restaurants can still operate a takeaway service.

Hotels and guest houses which only have indoor seating can continue operating as long as they only serve customers who are staying there, the prefect said.

Cinemas, theaters and concerts are also suspended for as long as there are more than 1.5 cases per 1,000 residents. On Monday, there were 1.86 cases per 1,000 inhabitants in the Romanian capital.

The prefect also said that masks will be mandatory near schools, amid a rise in case after schools reopened on September 14.

Authorities will step up checks in markets, public transport and near schools.

The government said that employees in the hospitality industry would receive financial assistance.

The Committee for Emergency Situations said when cases fell below 1.5 per 1,000 inhabitants restaurants would be able to reopen.

There will also be restrictions for weddings and christenings because they are held inside churches.

”Religious processions aren’t banned. … Theaters, cinemas, shows, everything will close from tomorrow, until things return to normal,” the prefect said.

There was no word about casinos and betting shops.

LĂSAȚI UN MESAJ

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