Health minister rules out Easter lockdown for Bucharest

Bucharest will not be placed under quarantine this Orthodox Easter, health minister Vlad Voiculescu said.

His announcement came after the Ministry of Health has drawn up an order introducing new criteria for quarantining localities. According to Voiculescu, the new criteria “do not lead to an Easter lockdown for Bucharest.”

“Bucharest will not be quarantined for Easter. The new criteria for quarantining localities have been published. This doesn’t mean that we live in a new reality; it only means that the criteria that can lead to a recommendation to quarantine a locality have been clarified/updated. The level of COVID-19 testing becomes one of the main factors, along with the incidence rate and occupancy rate of hospital beds and intensive care units. Zonal quarantine is also defined,” the health minister said on Facebook.

He also explained that, as before, the decision to place a locality under quarantine is made based on several factors, “not automatically.”

“And no, the new criteria do not lead to an Easter lockdown of Bucharest, just as the old ones didn’t. None of the already announced government decisions change,” Vlad Voiculescu said.

The order that introduces new criteria for quarantining localities was published in the Official Gazette on Tuesday.

Earlier this month, the government announced new measures for the Orthodox Easter (celebrated on May 2), easing some movement restrictions for this period. For example, the night curfew will be lifted on the night of May 1 to May 2, which means that those who wish to attend the Easter service can stay outdoors until 05:00. Moreover, all stores can remain open until 20:00 on April 23 and April 30 (Good Friday), regardless of the incidence rate.

(Photo source: Gov.ro)