People coming from countries low-risk COVID-19 countries to be spared isolation when entering Romania

From June 15, people coming from countries with a coefficient of less than five new cases of COVID-19 in the last 14 days per one million inhabitants will be exempted from quarantine or home isolation when entering Romania, Ionel Danca, head of the Chancellery of the Prime Minister, announced on Friday.

He mentioned that the measure was adopted at a Thursday's meeting of the government under a government decision establishing new relaxation measures related to the novel coronavirus epidemic.

According to Danca, at the proposal of the National Committee on Emergency Situations, a government decision was adopted amending the annexes to the emergency ordinance on the state of alert and activities during the state of alert.

"Thus, the possibility of exempting from the measure of isolation or quarantine persons returning from countries exempted from this measure has been introduced. Based on evaluation criteria recommended by the World Health Organisation and also recommended by European offices in this regard, the National Institute of Public Health will conduct an assessment of the risks of the spread of coronavirus infections in several countries and, depending on the outcome of the assessment, some countries with a coefficient of less than five new cases on average in the last 14 days in one million inhabitants will qualify to be exempted from the obligation of quarantine or home isolation of people coming from those countries," Danca told journalists at the Government House.

He mentioned that people who have stayed more than 14 days cumulatively in one of these countries will, in turn, be exempted from the measure of quarantine or home isolation. He added that the measure would allow Romanians to travel "to countries considered at low risk of spreading coronavirus infections," such as Greece, Bulgaria and Austria.

He added that, from June 15, it will be possible for people to carry out recreational and sports activities with a maximum of six people, up from just three, as previously allowed. Attendance of private events in enclosed spaces is limited to 20 people, and to 50 when the events are outdoor.

"The management of outdoor swimming areas and swimming pools will resume, along with activities in gyms, fitness and spa treatment. Last but not least, according to this new regulatory framework, from June 15, due to the fact that the school year ends practically today, parents will have the opportunity to take their children to nurseries and kindergartens, and after-school places, whether they are public or private. Of course, in the case of public nurseries and kindergartens, it is up to the local administrations to decide, but our recommendation is that these activities be resumed with the preservation of the rules of health safety and social distancing," said Danca.