Romania is preparing for a second wave of COVID-19, emergency department head says

Raed Arafat, the head of the Emergency Situations Department (DSU), said on Tuesday that it would be "unprofessional" to say that a second wave of COVID-19 infections will not exist, and the Romanian authorities are preparing for this scenario.

"We are clearly preparing for the second wave. No one can say if it will be stronger or weaker than this one […] To say 'stay calm, there will be no problem' would be a totally unprofessional statement," Arafat said at local news channel Antena 3, News.ro reported.

"Those who attack us because we say that a second wave is possible do not seem to understand what we are facing, and they must understand that we, those in emergencies, in public health, cannot come and say 'keep calm, there will be nothing.' We must prepare," he added.

Arafat also said that Romania is starting to fill its stocks of medical equipment.

The DSU head believes that "a form" of state of alert is still needed in Romania, and he hopes that the political players will agree on this matter.

"I hope, however, that an agreement will be reached on the political line, because us, on the medical line, on the coordination line, will not be able to work in a situation of total normality when we are not, in fact, in a situation of total normality," Raed Arafat explained.

President Klaus Iohannis also urged caution, given that Romania did not register a significant drop in the number of new coronavirus cases, and argued in favor of extending the state of alert. However, Lucian Romascanu, the spokesperson of the Social Democratic Party (PSD), said that the Social Democrats would vote against extending the state of alert if the Government issues an ordinance in this regard. Pro Romania and ALDE are also against prolonging the state of alert that ends on June 15.

(Photo source: Inquam Photos/George Calin)