Radio România Internațional

Tag: vaccination campaign

January 27, 2021

COVID-19 IN ROMANIA – The anti-COVID-19
vaccination campaign continues in Romania. Over 487 thousand Romanians have
taken the anti-COVID shot so far, and only 1,200 minor adverse reactions have
been reported. Last week Romania received only half of the vaccine doses
scheduled to arrive. Therefore, of the people performing key duties, included
in the second phase of the campaign, people under 65 years of age without
chronic illnesses will be reappointed for vaccination with a 10-day delay,
Valeriu Gheorghiță, the head of the
National Committee overseeing the campagin has said. The Romanian official
explained there’s a shortage of some 117 thousand doses, and given that delays
are likely to continue, the authorities have prepared several scenarios under
which certain categories of people will receive the vaccine with certain
delays. The goal for the first phase of the campaign has been met. 90% of the
people included in this phase have been vaccinated or are scheduled for
vaccination, Valeriu Gheorghiță added. According to the latest update released
today by the Group for Strategic Communication, another 3,174 new infections
with SARS-CoV-2 were reported in the last 24 hours, as well as 77 related
fatalities. So far 718,612 people got infected with COVID-19 since the start of
the pandemic and 18,015 have died to the virus. 1,025 patients are currently in
intensive care.

COVID-19 IN THE WORLD – Companies producing anti-COVID-19 vaccines, which have received
massive investments from the European Union, must now make good on their
promises and honor their delivery obligations, European Commission President,
Ursula von der Leyen, has warned. The statement comes after a string of delays
announced by the Pfizer-BioNTech group in the delivery of its vaccine, which
was followed by a similar announcement from the AstraZeneca group. In other
news, the World Health Organization has approved the use of the anti-COVID-19
vaccine produced by the American biotechnology company Moderna, which must be administered
in two doses 28 days apart. On Tuesday, the United Kingdom became the first
country in Europe to exceed the 100,000 COVID-related death toll, which deepens
the crisis in this country. At global level, over 100 million infections have
been confirmed since the start of the outbreak and at least 2.1 million people
have died, the latest worldometers.info update reveals.

BUDGET – President Klaus Iohannis
yesterday evening talked with leaders of the ruling coalition on the 2021 state
budget, which is due to be submitted to Parliament for debate early next month.
Deputy Prime Minister Kelemen Hunor told Radio Romania the draft budget is a
priority right now, saying the deficit cannot exceed 7.1% of the GDP. The
Social-Democrats in opposition claim the Government is working on an austerity
budget. After consulting with representatives of trade unions on Tuesday on
this matter, the Social-Democratic Party will release its own alternate budget
later today. In Bucharest, trade unionists with the Publisind trade federation
staged a protest against the low salaries in the public sector and the
Government’s plans to freeze salaries over 2021. The federation warns that,
unless their demands are met, protest actions will continue indefinitely.

ROMANIA-US RELATIONS – Foreign
Affairs Minister Bogdan Aurescu today sent a letter of congratulations to his
US counterpart, Antony Blinken, who took over his mandate as US Secretary of
State after being confirmed in office by the US Congress. According to the
Romanian Foreign Affairs Ministry, Bogdan Aurescu expressed Bucharest’s
readiness to continue the expansion of the Strategic Partnership with the
United States, a key pillar of Romania’s foreign affairs and security policy.
The Romanian Minister said Romania remains a trusted ally and a close partner
of the United States, expressing confidence that, over the term in office of
Secretary of State Antony Blinken, the two countries will continue close
coordination and ensure the security and prosperity of their citizens, as well
as to promote regional stability, including in the Black Sea region. Moreover,
Minister Aurescu argued in favor of a strengthened US military presence in
Romania, underlying the development of a reliable and sustainable deterrence
capability in the Black Sea region, an area of strategic importance to trans-Atlantic
security. At the same time, Bogdan Aurescu pointed out one of Romania’s
priorities is the continuous development of economic cooperation with the
United States. Also on this occasion, Minister Aurescu extended an invitation
to Secretary of State Blinken to visit Romania.

HOLOCAUST – Romania’s President, Klaus
Iohannis, today conveyed a message marking the International Holocaust
Remembrance Day. President Iohannis said remembrance doesn’t just bring back
the pain, but also serves to educate us to steer clear of inherent traps
generated by oblivion. Europe is currently facing waves of extremism, populism
and anti-Semitism, the President argues, and over the last 20 years Romania has
developed a series of policies and instruments to combat such phenomena. In
this context, the President urged the Government to swiftly adopt the national
strategy on the prevention and combating of anti-Semitism, xenophobia,
radicalization and hate speech. A brief ceremony honoring the victims of the
Holocaust was observed today in Bucharest. Various events are also staged in
other cities across the country.

US-RUSSIA RELATIONS – The
newly instated American President, Joe Biden, had his first telephone
conversation with his Russian counterpart, Vladimir Putin. The two leaders
agreed to have their teams work urgently to complete the extension of the New
Start nuclear arms control treaty by another five years. The Treaty signed by
the United States and Russia, is due to expire on February 5. Political pundits
say Biden said he would adopt a harsher tone in his relations with Vladimir
Putin than his predecessor, Donald Trump, who repeatedly refused to face his
Russian counterpart. The White House writes Joe Biden also expressed the United
States’ support for the sovereignty of Ukraine, raising other issues of
concern, such as Russia’s involvement in various elections, cyber-attacks and
the arrest of opposition leader Alexei Navalny. The American President
underlined he wants to cooperate with President Putin, wherever this is
possible.

WEATHER – A code yellow alert against heavy snowfalls is in place until
tonight for eight counties in the southern half of the country and the capital
city. Blizzards and strong wind are expected in the mountains. The snowfalls
have disrupted road traffic, which has been shut down on certain national roads
due to reduced visibility. Rail traffic has also been affected, over 25 trains
have already been cancelled. Due to the strong wind all maneuvers in Romanian
ports on the Black Sea have been suspended. (V. Palcu)

27 January 2021
January 25, 2021

COVID-19 IN ROMANIA – Restaurants, bars,
cinemas, theatres and gambling outlets will reopen in Bucharest staring today.
All these venues will work at reduced capacity and with limited working hours.
The ease in restrictions follows a drop in the infection rate in the capital
city, to under 3 per thousand inhabitants, thus taking Bucharest out of the red
zone. Meanwhile the vaccination campaign continues. Over 860,000 people have
made appointments so far, of whom over half have already been immunized. The
sixth delivery of over 92,000 Pfizer-BioNTech vaccines arrived earlier today in
airports in Bucharest, Cluj-Napoca and Timişoara. The vaccines will then be
taken to regional centers for storing and administration. On Monday, the Group for
Strategic Communication announced another 1,500 new confirmed cases of COVID-19
and 65 related deaths. 1,000 patients are in intensive care.

COVID-19 IN THE
WORLD – There are over 10 million confirmed cases of COVID-19 in the world
right now and over 2.1 million associated deaths, the latest worldometers.info
update indicates. Meanwhile, the new coronavirus strains discovered in Great
Britain and South Africa continue to spread around the world, and vaccination
campaigns are slowing down after Pfizer reduced its production capacity, thus
affecting its deliveries to European states. EU leaders assure pharmaceutical
companies will observe delivery deadlines under the signed agreements.
Meanwhile authorities in Germany, France, the Netherlands or Belgium are
introducing harsh restrictions. In turn, Spain is facing a third wave of the
pandemic. According to our correspondent on the ground, the regions of Madrid
and Valencia, home to large Romanian communities, are as of today reintroducing
restrictions due to the large number of COVID cases. Restaurants in Valencia
are shut down and the Police in Madrid are using drones to check the observance
of health safety measures. Nearly all regions will be isolated for the next two
weeks. In the United States, President Joe Biden today will sign a decree
reintroducing travel restrictions for citizens from the EU, Great Britain and
Brazil. With this move the new White House leader wants to keep the mutated
strains of COVID away from the United States.

ECONOMY – Romania’s budget is
under a lot of pressure right now, due to the need to observe the 7% deficit
target agreed upon with the European Commission, Romanian Deputy Prime Minister
Dan Barna said on Monday. The Romanian official said the Government is working
on a Reconstruction and Resilience Plan which Romania will advance to the
European Commission, under which our country is due to receive some €30 billion.
On the other hand, the state budget for this year is still under discussion,
and the Government wants to adopt it in the first half of February. The
Government is also due to pass a law providing for a 3% increase in the minimum
wage starting January 2021. In another development, Moody’s financial rating
agency says the Government in Bucharest passed the most restrictive economic
support package in Central and Eastern Europe in the context of the COVID
pandemic. Thus Romania has allotted only 4% of its GDP to economic recovery.
The report also reveals that half of this package accounts for direct measures
or tax breaks or payment deferrals, while the other half represents Government
guarantees.

MEETING – Romania’s Foreign Affairs Minister, Bogdan Aurescu, is today attending a meeting of EU Foreign Ministers
in Brussels. EU officials, alongside the High Representative for Foreign
Affairs and Security Policy, Josep Borrell, will exchange views on the EU
strategy for distributing vaccines to third-world countries, developments in
the case of Russian dissident Alexei Navalny, prospects of consolidating
trans-Atlantic ties and EU-Turkey relations. Minister Bogdan Aurescu will also
notify his European counterparts regarding progress on setting up the
Euro-Atlantic Resilience Center in Romania. During an informal breakfast
meeting, EU Foreign Affairs Ministers will also tackle EU-UK relations in terms of
foreign policy and security, considering the withdrawal of Great Britain from
the community bloc on January 1, 2021.

UNEMPLOYMENT – The
unemployment rate stood at 3.38% in December 2020, up by 0.06% compared to the
previous month and by 0.41% compared to December 2019, the National Employment
Agency reports. The total number of unemployed was close to 300,000, two thirds
of them reported in the rural area. People without studies and those with basic
training account for the largest share in the number of unemployed.

SUMMIT – World leaders are
today meeting online in the first summit devoted to protecting the planet
against climate change. The summit focuses on the effects of climate change.
The previous such summits were devoted to combating the causes of climate
change, carbon gas emissions in particular. The event is aimed at reducing the
vulnerability of state in the face of rising sea levels, a surge in extreme
weather phenomena and food shortages all over the world.

PORTUGAL – Portugal on Sunday
elected the moderate Conservative Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa as its new president,
after a ballot held with the strict observance of COVID-related health safety
measures. According to AFP, the current president, a 72-year-old law professor,
earned public recognition as a TV sports commentator. Sousa won 60.7% of the
vote, according to partial results covering nearly all constituencies. In his
victory speech, President Sousa promised he would make it his priority to
combat the COVID pandemic. (V. Palcu)

25 January 2021
Difficulties with the vaccination campaign

The anti-COVID-19 vaccination campaign, which started on December 27
in Romania, is facing difficulties with the launch of the online platform for
making appointments. A debate organized by the College of Physicians addressed
the fact that a large number of chronic patients couldn’t make appointments due
to the large number of requests. The coordinator of the national vaccination
campaign, Dr. Valeriu Gheorghiță says some 75% of people who’ve made
appointments are people over 65 years of age or people suffering from chronic
illnesses. He explained that, unfortunately, the data base of the National
Health Insurance Company is not updated enough, and that a number of chronic
patients who weren’t listed in the database could not make appointments.

In
turn, Romania’s representative at the WHO, Dr. Alexandru Rafila, currently a
Social-Democrat MP, believes the deficient online platform, in addition to
including in the second phase of the campaign categories of people without
prioritizing them, might hinder the vaccination process. Dr. Rafila called on
the authorities to extend the functioning hours of vaccination centers to
weekends as well, so that 70% of the population should be immunized by
September. The most important thing right now is for Romania to effectively
make use of vaccine shots arriving every week, Dr. Rafila also went on to say.
The authorities want to vaccinate the entire population opting for a vaccine
within 9 months. State Secretary with the Health Ministry, Dr. Andreea
Moldovan, in turn claims the anti-COVID vaccination is a matter of national
security.

The Romanian official says the studies conducted so far reveal that
the immunity provided by a vaccine is similar to antibodies developed after any
disease. Andreea Moldovan referred to studies that show that 80% of people
who’ve had coronavirus developed antibodies over an period of time that may
vary. On the other hand, Social-Democrat MEP Mihai Tudose has called on the
European Commission to take immediate action to guarantee the delivery of the
minimum number of doses necessary for mass immunization across the community
bloc by summer. The former Romanian Prime Minister believes vaccine deliveries
should be linked to its administration. In turn, State Secretary with the
Interior Ministry, Raed Arafat, said people wanting to take the vaccine is a
good sing, arguing that an EU-wide vaccine certification is currently under
analysis. Also worth mentioning is that EU member states on Monday started
debating whether people taking the anti-COVID-19 shot should benefit from a
wider freedom of movement than those who don’t. (V. Palcu)

19 January 2021
January 1, 2021 UPDATE

COVID-19 Romania — In Romania the national anti-COVID-19 vaccination campaign will be resumed on Monday, with the vaccination of the medical staff working directly with COVID-19 patients. Since the start of the vaccination campaign, on December 27, over 10 thousand people have been vaccinated against COVID-19 in Romania, with common, minor side effects having been reported in 26 cases and general reactions in 22 cases. Almost 4 thousand new cases of contamination have been reported in the past 24 hours following the processing of 15,900 tests nationwide, the Strategic Communication Group announced on Friday. Until January 1, 2021, over 636,000 new cases of COVID-19 have been reported in Romania, with 566,365 patients having recovered. 74 deaths have been registered in the past 24 hours, taking the death toll to 15,800. 1,111 patients are currently in ICUs. The number of Romanian citizens from abroad contaminated with the new coronavirus reached 7,063 and 130 have died from the disease.

Brexit – As of January 1, 2021 the UK is no longer part of the EU. The UK’s new status brings about major changes in the relation between the UK and the EU. The most important changes concern the European citizens who want to work and study in the UK. 4 million EU citizens are living in the UK of whom almost 600,000 are Romanians. The great majority of EU citizens have asked for and received the right to stay in the UK after Brexit, which means that their rights are protected. The situation is different for those European citizens who intend to move to the UK in the future. Those who want to work in the UK will need a visa. Visas will be paid for and will be granted according to certain criteria. The Romanian and European students who want to study in the UK starting with the next academic year will also need visas and tuition fees will be considerably higher. The EU citizens who want to visit the UK as tourists do not need a visa if their stay is not longer than 6 months. The people who received criminal sentences higher than one year in prison may be denied entry into the UK as of January 1.

EU presidency – Portugal took over the six-month rotating presidency of the European Union from Germany on January 1. Its main objectives are to prepare for the post-Covid-19 recovery and to complete the procedures aimed at implementing the Resilience and Recovery Facility. Lisbon will focus on five major domains: social Europe, green Europe, digital Europe, global Europe and resilient Europe. The social agenda will be at the top of the list of priorities, as a main pillar of the European response to COVID-19. Other issues on the agenda of the Portuguese presidency are the EUs relationship with the UK after Brexit, gender equality, the fight against discrimination, poverty and social exclusion and the protection of vulnerable groups.

New Year celebrations — The whole world celebrated the New Year in the context of the new coronavirus pandemic. Open air parties were cancelled and people stayed at home, observing the quarantine or restrictive measures imposed by the authorities in a move to stop the spread of the disease. Many traditional events on the New Year such as fireworks shows and concerts were broadcast online. The first to welcome the new year 2021 with fireworks shows were the inhabitants of the island countries of Kiribati and Samoa in the Pacific Ocean followed by New Zealand and Australia where the traditional fireworks shows took place without spectators. In Europe, most people stayed at home and watched TV while in the US 2020 the year of the pandemic ended in the spirit of the past 10 months, with restrictions, social distancing and bans on any kind of meeting or gathering. Romanians also missed the traditional New Year open air concerts. Most Romanians welcomed the New Year at home while others chose to travel. In the country, the top destinations for the New Year parties were the resorts on the Prahova Valley (south) and in Maramures county (north), Bukovina (northeast), the Black Sea Coast and the Danube Delta. As regards foreign destinations, Romanians chose the Maldives and Zanzibar.

Energy – As of January 1, 2021 Romanias electricity market has been liberalized, which means that prices are no longer set by the state, but on the stock exchange. As compared to the gas market liberalization as of July 1, 2020, when consumers benefited from better prices, the energy market liberalization will bring about higher bills which might increase by up to 26% for certain consumers. Analysts accuse the authorities of having mismanaged the situation, by failing to inform the population properly. Before liberalization there were approximately six million household consumers on the regulated market in Romania that benefited from the lowest prices on the market, but after January 1, unless they sign a new contract with a supplier, they risk being automatically transferred by the current supplier on a universal service contract, which is the most expensive on the market. According to an analysis made by the Smart Energy Association, active consumers, namely those who got informed and signed a contract with a supplier, will have their energy bills increased by an average 5%. On the other hand, passive consumers that did sign a new contract will pay energy bills higher by 26%.

Messages — The Romanian President Klaus Iohannis thanked the Romanian citizens in the traditional New Years message for the effort they made in 2020, a year marked by the COVID-19 pandemic. Klaus Iohannis underlined that the entire country is looking with hope and confidence to the New Year 2021. The Prime Minister Florin Cîţu has promised Romanians that the government will do its best to re-launch the economy this year, after 2020, a difficult year for the country. The Speaker of the Chamber of Deputies, Liberal Ludovic Orban, has said in his New Years message that 2020 was perhaps the hardest year in Romanias recent history, but that he hopes that by mid-2021 vaccination will end the pandemic. The Speaker of the Senate, Anca Dragu, has stated, in her New Years message posted on her social media page, that she wants 2021 to be a year of recovery, when they are going to start to rebuild a better Romania ‘for us and the future generations’. Praying together, being kind and cooperating in doing good deeds can work wonders, turning fear into courage and hope, said the Patriarch of the majority Romanian Orthodox Church, Daniel, at the religious service held to mark the New Year. (tr. and update by L. Simion)

1 January 2021
December 31, 2020 UPDATE

Vaccination — In Romania continues the anti-COVID-19 vaccination campaign in the 82 centers opened so far. More than 10 thousand people in the healthcare system have been vaccinated and in only 26 cases minor, common side effects have been reported. The authorities say it is advisable that the population get correct information from official medical sources and get vaccinated. The president of the Romanian Society of Epidemiology, Doina Azoicai, has given assurances that the vaccine of the Pfizer Biontech company which arrived in Romania is safe, efficient and provides protection even if new variants of the virus emerge in the meantime. In another development, on Thursday more than 4,300 COVID-19 cases were reported after the processing of almost 21,500 tests. The total number of cases since the onset of the pandemic has exceeded 632,000, with 15,760 deaths reported. The number of Romanians abroad infected with the new coronavirus reached 7,056 and 130 Romanians from abroad have died from COVID-19.

Protests — Several trade union organizations from the defense and public order domains joined the court clerks in Romania to protest on Thursday in front of the Bucharest-based headquarters of the Interior Ministry and of the prefect’s offices across Romania against the decision to freeze salaries and benefits in the public sector in 2021. Passed on Wednesday through an emergency decree by the new government, the decision was also criticized by trade unions from the health and education domains.

Earthquake – Romania was quick to send humanitarian aid to Croatia, after a series of earthquakes that hit the region of Petrinja. Following the activation of the European civil protection mechanism, the Romanian government on Wednesday decided to grant free emergency humanitarian aid to the Croatian authorities that requested support for Petrinja, the most affected region in Croatia. The Romanian humanitarian convoy, which left from Arad (west) on Thursday heading for Croatia, carries first necessity goods: living containers, tents, beds, mattresses and sleeping bags. The Romanian team participating in the mission is made up of 30 people. Saturday will be a day of national mourning in Croatia in memory of the victims.

Brexit agreement – Great Britain is definitively leaving the EU, after almost 50 years, tonight at 1:00 a.m. Romania’s time. The long-awaited post-Brexit agreement was signed on Wednesday by the European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and the European Council President Charles Michel. The agreement regulates the relations between the EU and the UK starting on Friday, January 1, 2021. The European leaders considered the moment “of historic importance” and “a major step forward”, an extremely important turning point. The document was also endorsed by the British Parliament. The new regulations are to be ratified by the European Parliament and the parliaments of the 27 member states. The UK, which officially left the EU on 31 January 2020, will definitively leave the EU single market and the customs union on 31 December, but following this agreement, no tariffs will be imposed on the merchandise originating in the EU or the UK.

Energy – Romanias electricity market is getting liberalized as of January 1, 2021. Analysts accuse the authorities of having mismanaged the situation, consequently the price of energy could rise by up to 26% for some consumers. The cause is not the liberalization itself, but the lack of information available to the population. At risk are the consumers who are currently in the regulated market and who do not sign any new contract, regardless of the supplier. On the still regulated market in Romania, there are approximately six million household consumers that will automatically pass to the free market as of January 1. Active consumers, namely those who get informed and sign a contract with a supplier, will be affected by a price increase of up to 5%. On the other hand, passive consumers, those who do not sign a new contract, will be automatically served a universal service contract, the most expensive on the market, irrespective of the supplier. (tr. L. Simion)

31 December 2020
December 28, 2020

Visit — The Romanian President Klaus Iohannis is paying an official visit to the Republic of Moldova on Tuesday at the invitation of his Moldovan counterpart, pro-western Maia Sandu. It is the first high level visit for Maia Sandu after she took over the presidential seat following the November 15 elections, when she defeated the former pro-Russian Socialist president Igor Dodon. According to the Romanian Presidential Administration, the Romanian President’s visit to Chisinau will provide the framework for conveying a strong message of support for the new Moldovan president and the Moldovan citizens, in their effort for democratization, for the irreversible implementation of the rule of law principles, for consolidating Moldova’s European path and its privileged relation with Romania. The two presidents will adopt a Joint Declaration aimed at consolidating the bilateral strategic partnership. Holding dual citizenship, Moldovan and Romanian, an economist with an MA in public administration at Harvard, a former advisor to the executive director of the World Bank, a former minister and prime minister of the Republic of Moldova, Maia Sandu became, at 48, the first woman president of Moldova, three decades after the country proclaimed its independence from Moscow.

COVID-19 Romania — More than 2,600 new cases of COVID-19 were reported on Monday in Romania after more than 7,700 were made, which means an infection rate of more than 34%. Another 104 people have died in the past 24 hours, with 1,197 patients being in ICUs. So far 618,400 people have been contaminated and over 15,300 have died from COVID-19. Almost 85% of those diagnosed with COVID-19 have recovered. This is the second day of the anti-COVID-19 vaccination campaign in Romania. On Sunday, on the first day, as many as 1,000 medical staff were vaccinated and none of them had any side effects, the National Committee for Coordinating Anti-COVID-19 Vaccination Activities announced. According to the committee, more vaccine doses will arrive in Romania on Tuesday. The first 10 thousand doses arrived on Saturday in Bucharest from where they were distributed across the country.

Session — The new government coalition in Bucharest headed by the Liberal Florin Citu is meeting today for their first official session. The government intends to adopt an emergency decree meant to support the pro-vaccination campaign in the mass media and measures to support the companied affected by the new coronavirus pandemic, according to the PM Citu. He explained that they would set up the state aid scheme aimed at providing financial support to the companies operating in the hospitality industry. Another draft emergency decree will extend the investments made under the National Development Program, Phase I, which is coming to an end at the end of 2020.

Eurostat — In 2019, households in the EU allotted, on average, 13% of their total consumption expenses on foodstuffs and non-alcoholic beverages, on top position of the classification being the Romanian households that allotted 26%, show data published on Monday by Eurostat. Other EU members that spend more on foodstuffs are Lithuania (20.2%) and Estonia (19.3%). Ireland, Luxemburg and Austria are the 3 EU members that spend less than 10% of their total consumption expenses on foodstuffs and non-alcoholic beverages. In the case of Romania, the share of expenses on foodstuffs and non-alcoholic beverages in the total consumption expenses dropped from 27.3% in 2009 to 26% in 2019. All in all, in 2019 EU households spent more than 956 billion Euros on foodstuffs and non-alcoholic beverages. (tr,. L. Simion)

28 December 2020
December 27, 2020 UPDATE

VACCINE – The anti-COVID-19 vaccination campaign started on Sunday in Romania and in all the other EU Member States. The first 10,000 anti-COVID-19 dozes arrived on Saturday in Romania and were distributed to infectious disease hospitals. Some 3,000 health workers are taking the vaccine shots these days. The next vaccine transport will arrive on Monday, and the dozes will be distributed to the 370 vaccination centers in medical units, the head of the national vaccination campaign, medical doctor Valeriu Gheorghiţă has said. The Romanian official said 60 to 70% fo the population could be vaccinated in the next six months. An IRES survey conducted over December 11-14 shows that 6 in 10 Romanians want to get immunized against COVID-19, although only a quarter of Romanians are willing to do this as quickly as possible. A third of the countrys population argues against taking the vaccine, the main reason being the lack of trust in the vaccine or in the medical system. 15% of respondents said the virus is too dangerous, or that their immunity is strong, while 13% said they fear possible side effects.

COVID-19 IN ROMANIA – Another 2,049 new COVID-19 infections and 122 new related fatalities were reported in the last 24 hours, the Group for Strategic Communication announced on Sunday. So far over 615,000 infections have been confirmed since the start of the outbreak in Romania. The national death toll has now reached 15,230. 1,206 patients are currently in intensive care. Nearly 85% of the people who got infected with SARS-CoV-2 have recovered.

COVID-19 IN THE WORLD – The vaccination campaign against the coronavirus started across the European Union on Sunday. The first vaccine transports arrived on Saturday in countries in the community bloc, where several people were already immunized. The EU starts its campaign against the backdrop of the discovery of a mutation of the coronavirus in southern England. European Commission President, Ursula von der Leyen, says this is a “touching moment of unity” for the 450 million citizens living in the 27 EU Member States. The European Union approved the vaccine developed by the German pharmaceutical company BioNTech in cooperation with the American pharmaceutical giant Pfizer, which clinical trials confirmed has a 95% efficiency against the coronavirus. Politicians and health experts have warned it will take months before the vaccine will be widely available to the population. Also on Sunday the World Health Organization warned that the COVID-19 pandemic wont be the last health crisis of this type.

UK – Romanias Embassy in the United Kingdom took steps to repatriate 95 Romanian citizens and nearly 500 seasonal workers whose work contracts ended and who have been affected by the travel restrictions introduced to combat the COVID-19 pandemic in this country. The Romanians were transported home via two charter flights operated by an airliner who answered the call of the Romanian embassy. The ticket costs for five passengers in vulnerable categories were also covered by the airliner. Europe is facing severe disruptions in air travel, considering a growing number of countries are banning flights to and from Great Britain amidst concerns over a new strain of COVID-19 discovered in this country.

CELEBRATION – Romanian Orthodox and Eastern-Catholic Christians on Sunday celebrated Saint Stephen, the first Christian martyr. Stephen was one of the seven deacons appointed by the apostles after the Ascension of Jesus. The deacons were charged with distributing food and charitable aid to the members of the community in the early Christian Church. According to the Acts of the Apostles in the New Testament, Saint Stephen performed miracles and convinced people to convert to the Christian faith. His popularity didnt sit well with the Jewish elders, who dispatched members of the Sanhedrin to arrest Stephen. He was found guilty of blasphemy and was stoned to death. Also on Sunday Roman-Catholics in Romania celebrated Saint John the Apostle. (V. Palcu)

27 December 2020
December 27, 2020

VACCINE – The anti-COVID-19 vaccination campaign started on Sunday in Romania and in all the other EU Member States. The first person to take the anti-COVID shot was a medical assistant in Bucharest, who, on February 27, was part of the team that consulted and treated the first Romanian patient diagnosed with SARS-CoV-2. The first 10,000 anti-COVID-19 dozes arrived on Saturday in Romania and were distributed to infectious disease hospitals. In the first phase, which is due to end in January, the vaccine will be administered to health workers in COVID hospitals. In the second phase, people in at-risk categories and workers in key sectors will be administered the vaccine, while the campaign for the bulk of the population will start in April. An IRES survey conducted over December 11-14 shows that 6 in 10 Romanians want to get immunized against COVID-19, although only a quarter of Romanians are willing to do this as quickly as possible. A third of the countrys population argues against taking the vaccine, the main reason being the lack of trust in the vaccine or in the medical system. 15% of respondents said the virus is too dangerous, or that their immunity is strong, while 13% said they fear possible side effects.

COVID-19 IN ROMANIA – Another 2,049 new COVID-19 infections and 122 new related fatalities were reported in the last 24 hours, the Group for Strategic Communication announced on Sunday. So far over 615,000 infections have been confirmed since the start of the outbreak in Romania. The national death toll has now reached 15,230. 1,206 patients are currently in intensive care. Nearly 85% of the people who got infected with SARS-CoV-2 have recovered.

COVID-19 IN THE WORLD – The vaccination campaign against the coronavirus started across the European Union on Sunday. The first vaccine transports arrived on Saturday in countries in the community bloc, where several people were already immunized. The EU starts its campaign against the backdrop of the discovery of a mutation of the coronavirus in southern England. European Commission President, Ursula von der Leyen, says this is a “touching moment of unity” for the 450 million citizens living in the 27 EU Member States. The European Union approved the vaccine developed by the German pharmaceutical company BioNTech in cooperation with the American pharmaceutical giant Pfizer, which clinical trials confirmed has a 95% efficiency against the coronavirus. Politicians and health experts have warned it will take months before the vaccine will be widely available to the population. Also on Sunday the World Health Organization warned that the COVID-19 pandemic wont be the last health crisis of this type.

UK – Romanias Embassy in the United Kingdom took steps to repatriate 95 Romanian citizens and nearly 500 seasonal workers whose work contracts ended and who have been affected by the travel restrictions introduced to combat the COVID-19 pandemic in this country. The Romanians were transported home via two charter flights operated by an airliner who answered the call of the Romanian embassy. The ticket costs for five passengers in vulnerable categories were also covered by the airliner. Europe is facing severe disruptions in air travel, considering a growing number of countries are banning flights to and from Great Britain amidst concerns over a new strain of COVID-19 discovered in this country.

CELEBRATION – Romanian Orthodox and Eastern-Catholic Christians on Sunday celebrated Saint Stephen, the first Christian martyr. Stephen was one of the seven deacons appointed by the apostles after the Ascension of Jesus. The deacons were charged with distributing food and charitable aid to the members of the community in the early Christian Church. According to the Acts of the Apostles in the New Testament, Saint Stephen performed miracles and convinced people to convert to the Christian faith. His popularity didnt sit well with the Jewish elders, who dispatched members of the Sanhedrin to arrest Stephen. He was found guilty of blasphemy and was stoned to death. Also on Sunday Roman-Catholics in Romania celebrated Saint John the Apostle. (V. Palcu)

27 December 2020
December 4, 2020 UPDATE

Elections – The campaign for Sundays parliamentary elections ended on Friday. All campaign events were subject to strict rules as part of the measures to contain the spread of the coronavirus pandemic. A number of localities are in lockdown, but Prime Minister Ludovic Orban said voters can travel freely to the polling stations within these localities. 136 senator and 329 deputy seats are up for election, including 4 deputies and 2 senators representing the Romanian community abroad. The foreign ministry has set up 748 polling stations abroad with an interactive map of all of them and a hotline for Romanian voters living abroad being also available. Voting is held over the course of two days abroad, on Saturday and Sunday. On Friday evening, president Klaus Iohannis urged the citizens to go to the polls in great numbers and make their voice heard, underlining that the stakes of the December 6 parliamentary elections were overwhelming. “Vote with responsibility, with your thoughts focused on the present and on what Romania is going to look like tomorrow’ said President Iohannis.

Covid-19 Romania – 8,062 new coronavirus cases have been reported in Romania in the past 24 hours following the testing of over 35 thousand people, according to the Strategic Communication Group. Since the onset of the pandemic, 500,273 cases of contamination have been reported across Romania, and more than 390 thousand people have recovered. 176 people have died in the past 24 hours from COVID-19, taking the death toll to 12,052. Romania’s anti-Covid-19 national vaccination strategy was made public on Friday in Bucharest after being approved on Thursday by the countrys Supreme Defense Council. The president of the National Committee for coordinating anti-SARS-CoV-2 vaccination activities Valeriu Gheorghita said that vaccination was voluntary not compulsory and people’s trust is essential for the success of the campaign. He added that more than 850 vaccination centers would be set up across Romania which will ensure the vaccination of an estimated number of almost 5 thousand people per center, per month.

Rugby — The former Romanian international player Octavian Morariu has been reelected president of Rugby Europe. He said the priorities of the organization remained safeguarding and promoting the values of rugby, promoting the rugby game for all countries, for all players irrespective of genre and age and in all formats (XV, X, VII, beach rugby, snow rugby and non-contact). Morariu has been at the helm of Rugby Europe since 2013, being at his 3rd term in office.

Protest — The President elect of the Republic of Moldova, pro-western Maia Sandu has urged the citizens to take to the streets for a new protest that will be organized in two days’ time. On Thursday she joined the several thousand people who protested in front of the Parliament building in Chisinau against the draft laws voted by the MPs, especially the one related to the subordination of the Intelligence and Security Service to the Parliament. The opposition considers the move an attempt to limit the powers of Mrs. Maia Sandu, who will be sworn in President later in December, thus replacing the pro-Russian former president Igor Dodon. Romania condemns the non-transparent move of the Moldovan Parliament which runs counter to democratic practices, the PSMR and the Platform for Moldova which also includes the Sor Party, blatantly ignoring the massive vote of the Moldovan citizens at the November 15 election, shows a Romanian Foreign Ministry communiqué. The document reiterates Romania’s support for the efforts of the Moldovan President elect to reinstate the legality of the governing process.

Ordinance — The Romanian government passed an emergency decree on Friday, providing for the compensation of losses incurred by the hospitality industry. The sum totals 20% of the difference between the companies’ turnover in 2020 and in 2019. The measure regarding furlough has been extended and the working program called Kurzarbeit has been rendered flexible until June 30, 2021. Also on Friday, the government approved a decision regarding the re-opening of enclosed agri-food markets whose closure, almost one month ago, generated controversy. Measures were also taken in the run up to the parliamentary elections.

Brussels — The Council of the EU and the European Parliament on Friday reached an agreement over the EU budget for 2021. Nevertheless, for the budget to become applicable, Poland and Hungary need to withdraw their veto on the EU multiannual budget for the period 2021-2027, which they blocked alongside the post-pandemic recovery fund as they rejected conditioning the granting of European funds on the observance of the rule of law. The German ambassador to the EU Michael Clauss explained that if the veto was not withdrawn, a provisional financing system would have to be implemented in 2021 which was last used in 1989. As to the ‘Next Generation’ plan, which involves a recovery fund of more than 750 billion Euros, more European officials have suggested launching the plan without involving Poland and Hungary. (translation by L. Simion)

4 December 2020
November 28, 2020

COVID-19 IN ROMANIA – Another
8,134 SARS-CoV-2 infections and 161 related deaths were reported in the last 24
hours in Romania, the Group for Strategic Communication announced on Saturday.
465, 982 people have been infected with COVID-19 since the start of the
pandemic, while 11,045 people have died to the virus. Most infections were
reported in Bucharest, Constanța, Cluj, Ilfov and Iași. Over 70% of infected
people have recovered. 1,249 people are currently in intensive care.

COVID-19 IN THE WORLD – More
and more countries around the world are preparing their national strategies for
anti-COVID-19 vaccination. The United States and the European Union hope to
start the vaccination campaign in December. The first vaccines to be administered
will be those produced by Pfizer and BioNTech and Moderna. So far Pfizer and
BioNTech announced a 95% efficiency rate for their vaccine, Moderna says its
vaccine has a 94.5% efficiency while the Russian Sputnik V vaccine is rated
with a 91.4% efficiency. The AstraZeneca British vaccine is the cheapest and
doesn’t require cold storage, although additional tests are still needed. China
also claims its Sinopharm vaccine works, with zero infection cases reported for
1 million people who’ve taken the vaccine, which is still in an experimental
phase.

UNION – Restricted ceremonies on
Saturday marked 102 years since the completion of the historic process of
Bukovina’s union with Romania. The event prefaced the Union with Romania on
December 1, 1918, of not just Transylvania, but also Banat, Maramureş and
Crişana,
which had also been part of the Habsburg Empire. Previously, in March 1918,
Bessarabia, another Romanian province, had united with the mother-country. Preparations
are underway in Romania to organize the military parades celebrating December
1, the National Day of Romania. In Bucharest, the traditional parade will be
held without public attendance in a restricted format, due to the coronavirus
pandemic.

MOLDOVA – Authorities have
declared a state of emergency in the Republic of Moldova, in place until
January 15, 2021. All nightclubs have been closed, while restaurants, bars and coffee
shops will close before 10 PM. Colloquiums and sports competitions with
physical attendance have been banned. Theatres, cinemas and concert halls have
also shut down. Public and private institutions will have to introduce special
working hours, with the physical presence of only those workers who cannot work
from home. According to our correspondent on the ground, restrictions were previously
introduced in the Republic of Moldova, although they were not fully observed,
not even by the authorities. Socialist Prime Minister Ion Chicu organized his
son’s wedding party, while in the campaign for the presidential election, the
acting President, Igor Dodon, held a rally with hundreds of participants.

CAMPAIGN – The campaign for the
legislative election due on December 6 continues in Romania. As in the case of
the local election, held on September 27, the authorities have limited the number
of participants to election rallies and introduced strict health safety
regulations. Citizens will be able to cast their votes in all polling stations
on election day, Prime Minister Ludovic Orban has said, adding that citizens
infected with COVID-19, currently in quarantine or isolation, will be able to
vote with the help of the mobile ballot box. More and more towns and villages
across Romania are entering quarantine against the growing infection rate.
Romanians living abroad will be able to vote on December 5 and the 6. Representing
the Romanian Diaspora will be four deputies and two senators.

VACCINATION – The Government decree
on the vaccination strategy was adopted in Friday’s Government session. The
first to be immunized will be employees working in healthcare, social
assistance, people in at-risk categories and key personnel, Ionel Dancă, the
head of the Prime Minister’s Office, told a press briefing. The Government also
decided to increase the bonus of medical and auxiliary personnel directly
dealing with COVID-19 patients up to 85% of their base salary. The Government
also debated a draft law providing financial assistance to companies in the
hospitality industry. One measure provides for a grant covering losses incurred
in 2020 up to 20% of last year’s turnover.

HANDBALL – Romania’s women’s
handball team are preparing for the European Championship hosted by Denmark
between December 3 and 20. Romania is playing in Group D in the final
tournament, alongside Norway, Germany and Poland, with the games taking place
in the town of Kolding. Denmark is the sole host of the tournament after the
second designated host, neighboring Norway, pulled out. On November 16, only 17
days before the first game was due, Oslo announced that healthcare constraints
related to the COVID-19 pandemic prevent it from organizing the competition.
(V. Palcu)

28 November 2020
Waiting for the anti-COVID vaccine

Strengthening
cooperation among Member States is key amidst growing numbers of COVID
infection at EU level, Romania’s President Klaus Iohannis said on the sidelines
of the European Council virtual meeting. The Romanian official addressed the
need to ensure an efficient EU-wide communication campaign regarding COVID
vaccination, so as to highlight its benefits. Romania’s vaccination strategy is
almost complete, the President said, warning however that carrying out such a
large-scale campaign over a short period of time will involve a large amount of
medical consumables. Additional measures are therefore needed to avoid any
shortages that might surface in the distribution chain. On the other hand,
President Iohannis spoke of the importance of ensuring a constant exchange of
information and best practices regarding testing strategies and procedures,
underlining the fact that EU-wide test recognition would considerably improve
free movement.

Romania will receive the anti-COVID vaccine the same time all
other EU members will, in a number of stages. The vaccine will be free and no
one will be forced to take the shot, Valeriu
Gheorghiţă, the head of the vaccination campaign for Romania, has told Radio
Romania. The Romanian doctor said an awareness campaign would first be carried
out, to present to the population the benefits of the new vaccine, with the aim
of convincing as many people as possible to take the shot.

At this stage we are talking about a vaccine
that is being offered free of charge only to those who want to be immunized.
But the decision to take the vaccine or not should be made only after receiving
correct information from official and reliable sources.

The first to receive the vaccine will be
healthcare workers, then workers in critical state infrastructure positions.
Depending on vaccine supplies, next on the list are vulnerable categories,
namely people who can develop severe forms of COVID-19. Only 30% of Romanians
would take the vaccine if this was an option, a recent survey conducted by the
Avangarde Group of Social and Behavioral Studies reveals. Another 36% would
take the vaccine only after waiting to see if people who take the first round
of vaccines are developing any health problems, while a quarter of respondents
say they wouldn’t take the vaccine either way. Of these, 36% are graduates of
primary education, 40% have graduated high school and the rest are graduates of
higher education units schooling units. As regards the existence of the virus,
some 76% of respondents believe it is real, while 12% deny its existence.

(Translated by V. Palcu)

20 November 2020
July 15-21

Saber Guardian 2017 draws to a close

Saber Guardian 2017, one of the largest and most complex NATO exercises ever hosted by Romania has come to an end, Romanian Defense Ministry announced on Friday. The military exercise contributed to the consolidation of defence and deterrence on the eastern flank of the North-Atlantic Alliance and the development of interoperability between the participating countries. Around 20 NATO member and partner states took part in the military exercise with a significant number of troops and technical resources. Previously, the Romanian Foreign Ministry said that the exercise also represents a confirmation of the solidity of the Trans-Atlantic relationship and of the bilateral strategic partnership between Romania and the United States, which was signed 20 years ago. Taking part in one of the stages of the exercise, the Czech General Petr Pavel, the Chairman of the NATO Military Committee, said that Romania is a consistent and trustworthy partner. He hailed Romanias contribution to NATOs operations, saying this country is one of top ten contributors to the Afghanistan mission.

President Iohannis favors autonomy, regionalization and descentralization, but not on ethnic criteria

Romania needs economic growth and modern administration, therefore it needs decentralisation, regionalization and local autonomy, but not based on ethnic criteria, said President Klaus Iohannis who visited the counties of Covasna and Harghita with a majority ethnic Hungarian population.

Klaus Iohannis explained: “I believe that decentralization is a must, because local officials know best what their communities need and they must have the necessary tools in place to act for the benefit of those whom they represent. Regionalization can also be taken into consideration, but only if its aim is to render regional government more effective, which means that it serves the citizens and helps create new jobs as a result of economic growth. Local and regional autonomy can help, but autonomy based on ethnic criteria is not something that should happen, because this would hinder development.”

The President said he is worried about the future of the young people in these counties, who do not speak Romanian and who thus have fewer opportunities on the labour market. President Klaus Iohannis said, that, too often realities in the two counties are interpreted so as to divide, highlight differences, not similarities, and promote hostility, intolerance and rejection towards people from different ethnic groups, be they majority or minority. These are sure ways to block not only the development of these communities, but also the country as a whole. According to the head of state, the counties of Covasna and Harghita benefit from a particularly rich tourist potential, on which local authorities should capitalize more. The Hungarian community in Romania numbers around 1.5 million people and has been represented in Romania’s parliament since 1990 by the Democratic Union of Ethnic Hungarians in Romania (UDMR), that has been part of several coalition governments.

Vaccination campaign at national level

Romania is facing the biggest measles epidemics in recent years, with 8 thousand cases of infection reported and 31 deaths since its outbreak last September. Although vaccination remains the only protection against the disease, the immunization rate has dropped significantly in recent years.

The present epidemic’s main cause remains the parents’ refusal to immunize their children. They fear the possible side effects vaccines could have on the little ones, fear that was fuelled by the erroneous information available on line and in other sources. The first measure meant to keep the epidemic at bay is a draft law to be submitted shortly to the government and subsequently sent for Parliament approval.

Under the law, parents may choose not to vaccinate their children but are to assume responsibility for the consequences. The law also provides for sanctions against those involved in supplying and distributing the vaccines. n the spirit of its public mission, Radio Romania has joined the efforts of providing information on the benefits of vaccination and started its own campaign in this respect. Radio Romania has dedicated some of its slots to news, reports and special programmes aimed at raising people’s awareness of the dangers children are exposed to if they don’t get the vaccine; 180,000 children have not been immunized for measles.

The National Agency for Fiscal Administration has a new management

Romania’s National Agency for Fiscal Administration has a new management team. Mirela Calugareanu, who has been an executive director at the General Direction Collection of Public Finance Bucharest is the Agency’s new chief. The appointment takes place after PM Mihai Tudose dismissed the institution’s former chief, because of the poor collection level of taxes. Mirela Calugareanu is not a member of a political party and has been working in the field of tax collection and public administration for 26 years.

Start Up Nation programme, a success

The Start-up Nation Programme, under which entrepreneurs can receive 200,000 lei from the Romanian state to start a business is a success. This year’s budget for this programme is 1.7 billion lei. Over 19,000 business plans have been already submitted, but only half of them will be selected. Minister for the business environment Ilan Laufer said most applicants are aged below 35. He also said that the financing accords for the approved business plans will be signed in two weeks at the most and a new session of the programme will be scheduled for next year.

22 July 2017
July 17, 2017

Fiscal measures — The governing coalition in Bucharest is today discussing fiscal measures such as the introduction of the solidarity tax or the tax on turnover. The president of the main governing party, Liviu Dragnea, has recently said that the Finance Ministry was making simulations on the effects of applying these measures, stipulated in the governing program. In another development, the biggest opposition party, the National Liberal Party, has drawn attention that the fiscal measures which the government intends to introduce and the artificial rise in the minimum wages can affect private companies in Romania as well as the country’s economic development.

Vaccination campaign — The Romanian Healthcare Ministry has started a campaign presenting the risks of not vaccinating children, in the context in which the measles epidemic that broke out in Romania at the end of last year has so far killed 31 children. According to the National Center for Monitoring and Controlling Communicable Diseases, the number of cases of measles confirmed in Romania has exceeded 8 thousand, most of the cases being reported in counties in western and southwestern Romania. Three quarters of the total number of cases were reported in children under 10, the most affected age category being the one between 1-4 years old. More than 3,100 cases of measles have been reported in this category. Radio Romania has also started a public information campaign, which reviews the risks non-vaccinated children run as well as secondary effects, the reasons why some parents do not want to have their children vaccinated and the need to adopt new legislation on vaccination.

Foreign Affairs Council — The Romanian Foreign Minister, Teodor Meleşcanu, is today participating in Brussels, alongside his counterparts from the EU states, in the meeting of the Foreign Affairs Council. The highlights on the agenda of talks are the measures on migration with focus on the central Mediterranean route, the EU Global Strategy on Foreign Policy and Security, the developments in Libya and the North Korean case.

Brexit — The EU and Great Britain are today starting in Brussels the second round of negotiations on Brexit, a round that will last 4 days and that will tackle issues such as the rights of citizens, and the financial and border agreement with Northern Ireland. The EU negotiator for Brexit, Michel Barnier will talk with the Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union, David Davis. The most controversial issue at present is the financial agreement. According to calculations, London allegedly owes the EU an amount ranging from 60 to 100 billion Euros following Brexit. This new round of negotiations is exclusively dedicated to establishing the terms of Great Britain’s exiting the EU. The first round, that took place on June 19, was held to establish the timetable and working methods regarding negotiations, which will take place on a monthly basis, for one whole week, in Brussels.

Infrastructure projects — Several infrastructure projects with American funding are today being inaugurated at the air base in Mihail Kogălniceanu, in the southeastern county of Constanta. The new constructions include facilities for aircraft maintenance, storehouses for equipment, garages and classrooms. The ten projects, some finalized and some under way of completion, amount to more than 4 and a half million dollars. Funding was provided thought the European Reassurance Initiative, which supports the Atlantic Resolve Operation, a distinct element of the Romanian – American Strategic Partnership. According to the Romanian Defense Ministry, developing this partnership is a major objective assumed at national level, both by the political and military authorities. In this context, the rotating presence of American forces on Romania’s territory and in the Black Sea region as well as the support provided by the US for the modernization of national defense capabilities have an essential role on the region’s current security context. (news translated by L. Simion)

17 July 2017
Flu Vaccination in Romania

Cold weather has
already settled in Romania, so the number of viral infections is on the rise.
Over 71,000 people have seen a doctor lately, suffering from respiratory
infections, which is 37% more than in the previous season. The good news is that
no case of influenza has been reported so far. The vaccination campaign is due
to start at the end of the month, and authorities say it will be run according
to plan. Family doctors, however, say that the Health Ministry has not bought
enough doses.

The president of the National Federation of Family Doctor
Associations Doina Mihaila has stated that the vaccines have not even reached
doctors’ offices yet:

We don’t have
these vaccines yet and, from what I’ve been told, we shouldn’t expect them any
time soon. If we were to set an average per family doctor, after we subtract
the shots for institutionalized children and senior citizens, what’s left is
probably some 15-20 vaccines per doctor, depending on the number of patients,
so some will have seven, or eight, other maximum 20. And when your list o
patients counts 2000, how can one select only 20?

Doctors recommend
flu immunization especially for children, old people and chronic patients, the
medical staff and pregnant women. According to statistics, these are the most
vulnerable categories. They recommend flu vaccination as a means of preventing
serious complications.

Similar problems
have been reported in relation to the hexavalent vaccine, used to immunize
children against diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis, Haemophilus influenza type
B, viral hepatitis B and poliomyelitis.
Even if there have been discontinuances in the distribution of this vaccine,
because of the distribution company,
the vaccine is now in warehouses, and the first batches should soon
reach family doctors, the Health Ministry has announced.

On the other hand, the number of cases of
measles is on the rise. The line ministry has called on parents to not refuse
immunization, as fresh cases were reported last month. Authorities have given
assurances that there are enough doses and have announced that the number of
infections has increased to 800 across the country. The solution found by the
ministry to boost immunization is a warning system that would announce parents
the right time to vaccinate their children. The idea was devised under the
GovITHub governmental program, developed at the request of the Health Minister
Vlad Voiculescu. Authorities would like to implement it as soon as possible,
explaining that, if at least 100 parents allow their children to be vaccinated,
and thus stay healthy, the program will be a success.

17 October 2016