Tougher Covid safety measures in Bucharest: Staggered shifts, extra public transportation, tighter controls in markets

Bucharest City Prefect Alexandra Vacaru announced on Saturday the new set of measures that were taken following the steady increase in the city's Covid infection rate - specifically employers with over 50 employees shall be required to organize work in shifts, supplementing public transportation means and intensifying controls in fresh produce markets.

"Employers, both public institutions and private companies with a headcount above 50 are required to organize the work schedule so that the personnel is divided into groups and start, respectively finish shifts with a difference of at least one hour (...). Where remote work or work at home is not possible, in order to avoid the congestion of public transportation - because this way we will streamline traffic - we ordered the supplementation of public transportation means in the next period," Vacaru specified.

Gambling halls are allowed to operate until midnight, and the Gendarmerie and the Police will intensify controls in fresh produce markets.

"With the infection incidence at 12.65 per thousand population (on Saturday - ed. note), I ordered the Bucharest Gendarmerie and Police to intensify controls in public spaces, fairs, fresh produce markets and malls, with special focus on prevention actions in the markets Drumul Taberei, Berceni, Sudului, the Vitan Fair, Delfinului Food Complex and Obor Food Complex," the Prefect said.

According to the cited official, the number of people allowed to participate in training programs and workshops has been changed to 250 indoors and 300 - outdoors.

The Bucharest Committee for Emergency Situations met on Saturday in video conference to decide on the enforcement of the measures provided for in the Government's Decision No. 1090/07.10.2021 on the extension of the state of alert starting with October 10, 2021.