Eurovision 2021: Romania’s delegation misses opening ceremony due to COVID-19 protocols

The delegations of Romania and Malta could not participate in the Turquoise Carpet event of the Eurovision Song Contest on Sunday evening, May 16, due to two positive COVID-19 cases confirmed within other delegations staying at the same hotel.

Following regular COVID-19 testing, two tests have returned positive from the Icelandic and Polish delegations. According to the protocols, all members of delegations staying in the same hotel had to enter isolation while waiting to be tested for COVID-19.

“The delegations from Malta and Romania have not tested positive for COVID-19 and are not quarantining but, due to the fact they are staying in the same hotel as Poland and Iceland, did not take part in the Turquoise Carpet event and were also PCR tested as a safety precaution,” according to a press release.

“Both these delegations will be welcomed to the arena today (e.n. May 17) for rehearsals following negative results from the routine test this morning, as is normal procedure,” the same source said.

Eurovision 2021 takes place in Rotterdam, the Netherlands. Roxen, a 21-year-old singer from Cluj-Napoca, represents Romania at the competition, with the song Amnesia.

Romania joined the Eurovision contest in 1994 and has never managed to win the competition so far. It managed to finish in the top five on three occasions, and in 2005 and 2010 it ended the final in third place.

(Photo source: Facebook/Eurovision Song Contest, photo credit: Nathan Reinds)