Restaurants, cinemas reopen in Bucharest at 30% of capacity

Indoor restaurants and cafes, cinemas and event halls, and gambling venues can reopen in Bucharest at 30% of their capacity as the Covid-19 incidence rate in the city dropped below 3 per 1,000 inhabitants.

They can stay open until 21:00, the Bucharest Committee for Emergency Situations announced.

The curfew starting at 22:00 remains in place, and mask-wearing is compulsory in all public venues.

On May 2, the incidence rate in Bucharest stood at 2.62. Once the rate drops to 1.5, more restrictions will be eased, Bucharest prefect Alin Stoica explained.

“For instance, event halls will open at 50% of their capacity. Outdoor events with a maximum of 300 participants will be allowed. The current Government decision will be updated on May 13, and we will see the measures the Government takes,” Stoica said, quoted by News.ro.

The prefect also urged caution, reminding people that the city is still in the yellow scenario. “Of course, we come from an incidence rate of 7, and we are now at 2.62, a lower rate, but we are still in the yellow scenario. This means that the danger of the situation reversing exists, and we don’t want this to happen. We want to reach an incidence rate as low as possible, and this can be achieved by maintaining the sanitary safety measures and through vaccination. Our focus will be on vaccination, but we will maintain the sanitary safety measures,” he said.

(Photo: Cristi Croitoru/ Dreamstime)