Bucharest to introduce additional restrictions as COVID incidence rate goes over 6 per thousand

Bucharest’s 14-day COVID-19 incidence rate reached 6.33 per thousand on Wednesday, September 29.

According to the regulations in force, additional restrictions should be implemented when the infection rate goes over 6 per thousand. The Municipal Committee for Emergency Situations is expected to meet within the legal term of 48 hours to decide on the new measures.

According to the current rules, at this incidence rate, schools in Bucharest should move online starting next week. However, education minister Sorin Cimpeanu said he would want the education units to remain open even when the incidence rate goes over 6 per thousand. A decision is expected by Friday, according to News.ro.

Other restrictions would include the night-time curfew on weekends. Unvaccinated people would not be allowed to leave the house between 20:00 and 05:00 on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays, with a few exceptions, according to Biziday.ro. Also, the shops should close at 18:00 on weekends.

Also, people would no longer be allowed to organize private events such as weddings or baptisms, and the cinemas, performance halls, theatres, gyms should be closed.

The capital’s incidence rate increased from 4.95 per thousand on Monday to 5.57 on Tuesday and 6.33 on Wednesday. A month ago, on August 29, the 14-day infection rate in Bucharest was 0.74 per thousand.

Bucharest is the second large city in Romania to pass the 6 per thousand incidence rate after Timisoara. Cluj-Napoca also exceeded this threshold on Wednesday.

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