Romania’s president on Thursday announced a country-wide 9pm curfew for shops, and the closure of outdoor markets and fairs and a nationwide return to online learning as authorities battled to slow the spread of the coronavirus.
President Klaus Iohannis said masks would become compulsory in all public places regardless of the number of cases in any particular area. He said public and private sector employees should work from home where possible and there would be restrictions on people’s movements at nighttime.
Prime Minister Ludovic Orban later said there would be a ban on people leaving their homes after 10pm or 11pm, with exemptions allowed for people needing medical assistance or going to the pharmacy.
Gas stations and pharmacies will be allowed to stay open after the curfew, the prime minister said.
People will however need to fill out forms if they leave their homes after the curfew as they did during the two-month state of emergency from March to May.
Romania posted a record 9,714 Covid-19 cases on Thursday and for a fourth day in a row, one-quarter of people tested had positive outcomes.
Thursday’s death tally was 121, the second highest ever, while there were 1,014 patients in intensive care.
“We had almost 10,000 new cases today. We had too many deaths and we need to be very realistic. We need stringent measures to limit the spread of the pandemic,” the president said.
The prime minister said the new restrictions would come into effect on Monday.
Earlier, deputy Prime Minister Raluca Turcan pushed back against rumors of a blanket nationwide curfew.
Despite the surge in cases, Romania authorities said they wouldn’t follow other European countries such as France, Germany, Belgium or Italy into a full nationwide lockdown.
Romania is scheduled to hold parliamentary elections on Dc. 6, although some opposition lawmakers want to postpone the ballot to March.
The president joined Premier Orban, the health, defense and interior ministers and others for a National Committee for Emergency Situations meeting on Thursday evening to discuss how to implement the new restrictions.
