Civic assn asks health min to dismiss manager of infectious disease institute over controversial statements

In an open letter issued on Wednesday, the Reset civic association is asking Health Minister Nelu Tataru to dismiss Adrian Streinu Cercel as director of the Bucharest-based Matei Bals Institute of Infectious Diseases.

Reset members point out that the request comes as a result of a series of "controversial" public statements made by the reputable doctor in the context of the ongoing COVID-19 epidemic, with the most criticised and controversial of them titled by the doctor "THE GREAT HOLIDAY PROGRAMME for the prevention of SARS-CoV-2 /COVID-19."

"Since the outbreak of Covid-19 infections, the Matei Bals Institute of Infectious Diseases has been in the spotlight in the person of Dr Adrian Streinu-Cercel, director of this prestigious institute. Since the beginning of the declaration of emergency, Mr Cercel has become infamous for his controversial statements, not accompanied by scientific proof or even risky. On January 27, for example, Dr Cercel reassured us that 'this virus is 10 times weaker than the influenza virus' or that 'Hubei is but a small dot on the map of China. It means that the risk of such a case coming to Romania is substantially reduced.' The same doctor, a specialist in infectious diseases, has recently explained that 'rubbing alcohol is not good, it is of no use. Surgical spirit is not good.' All these statements have been contradicted by other experts, as well as by reality. The most recent 'accomplishment' of Mr Streinu-Cercel is the drawing up of a plan entitled 'THE GREAT HOLIDAY PROGRAMME for the prevention of SARS-CoV-2 /COVID-19,' which has anecdotal accents rather than a rigor proportional to the medical situation in which we find ourselves," say the Reset activists in their letter to Health Minister Nelu Tataru.

Reset mentions that Adrian Streinu Cercel proposed, among other things, the adoption of measures such as the isolation of people over 65, so that they are kept alone or with people of the same age, including in requisitioned hotels, and total isolation of those in the 40-65 age class.

The civic association points out that amidst the ongoing uncertainty, the human psyche can react with severe anxiety, irritability, symptoms of depression, and the restriction of freedom of movement can be perceived as a deprivation of liberty in the broadest sense. Given the circumstances, "citizens need to be presented with clear, coherent measures, and not being panicked."