Radio România Internațional

Tag: vaccination rate

  • January 21, 2022

    January 21, 2022

    COVID-19
    ROMANIA -
    19,649 new infections were reported in the last 24 hours, an absolute high
    since the start of the pandemic, the Group for Strategic Communication has
    announced. Yesterday, Romania also reported over 19 thousand cases. Also today,
    49 related fatalities have also been reported. Health Minister Alexandru Rafila
    says the COVID-related mortality rate is at present ten times lower compared to
    October last year. The Romanian official added that an innovative antiviral
    treatment will also be made available shortly. 8 million Romanians have so far
    received at least one dose of the anti-COVID-19 vaccine. The rate of
    vaccination stands at 47.5% of the total eligible population, the head of the
    National Committee for the Coordination of anti-COVID-19 Vaccination
    Activities, medical doctor Valeriu Gheorghiţă has announced. According to Dr.
    Gheorghiţă, the highest vaccination rate (56%) is reported in the 50-59 age
    bracket. The Health Minsitry announced that the bed occupation rate in
    hospitals stands at 22% at national level, meaning classes in schools will
    continue with full physical attendance next week as well.




    COVID-19 WORLD
    – The Austrian Parliament on Thursday adopted the law making anti-COVID-19
    vaccination mandatory for the adult population. Austria thus becomes the first
    EU country to introduce such a measure to combat the pandemic, despite numerous
    street protests and an unconvincing vaccination campaign. The measure will take
    effect on February 4. Austria reported a record-high number of infections,
    nearly 30,000. Around 72% of people have completed the full vaccination scene,
    below the figures reported in France or Spain. Meanwhile, the number of
    infections continues to drop in the UK. The Government in London has announced
    important relaxation of anti-pandemic measures starting next week. Masks and
    COVID certificates will no longer be mandatory. Around 92,000 are reported
    daily, considering 90% of the population has been immunized. In France as well,
    the Government is considering a gradual easing of restrictions. Starting next
    week, people can access restaurants, bars, coffee shops, shopping centers,
    cinemas, theatre and concert halls, stadiums and gyms only if they provide
    proof of vaccination. Similarly, they can travel by train or coach between
    regions under a similar provision. Yesterday, the UK reported 400 thousand
    infections. 93% of the population has received at least one shot of the
    anti-COVID vaccine.




    STRIKE – The
    strike action staged by trade unionists of the Bucharest Municipal Transport
    Company continues today. Drivers this morning refused to do their regular
    itineraries, although the Bucharest Tribunal yesterday issued a ruling to
    suspend the strike and forcing the Company to resume public transport
    activities. The court of law today will rule on a second notification advanced
    by the Company over the legality of the protest. Trade union leader, Vasile
    Petrariu, says public transport will resume once the Company director, Adrian Criță, resigns, also calling for a 10% increase of
    salaries. Adrian Criță says that earlier this year he
    invited the trade unions to negotiate the collective employment agreement, but
    has so far received no response. Bucharest Mayor, Nicușor Dan, argues the
    protest is purely political and has called on the authorities to enforce the
    law. Also today, trade unions in the aluminum manufacturing sector are staging
    a protest in front of the Government building. Employees point to the critical
    issues facing this industry, as a result of the increase in energy prices.
    Trade unions have warned that, by cutting back on aluminum production, large
    numbers of people will be laid off or put on furlough, which will in turn
    affect tens of thousands of employees working for enterprises that are directly
    or indirectly reliant on the aluminum production industry.




    US-RUSSIA RELATIONS – Geneva is today holding a round of talks between the USA and Russia.
    Attending will be Russia’s Foreign Minister, Sergey Lavrov, and the US
    Secretary of State, Antony Blinken. The US official on Wednesday paid a visit
    to Kiev, reiterating the US’s unwavering support for Ukraine. Romania’s
    president, Klaus Iohannis, on Thursday hailed the announcement made the
    previous day by US president Joe Biden over the increase of America’s military
    presence in Romania on NATO’s eastern flank should the security situation
    deteriorate. The Romanian president added
    that Romania’s Strategic Partnership with France will also be consolidated in
    the Black Sea region, following the announcement of French president Emmanuel
    Macron regarding France’s willingness to deploy troops on Romania’s territory
    as part of NATO missions. Russia has
    rallied over 100 thousand troops on the Ukrainian border, although it has
    denied allegations over a planned invasion. The Kremlin has called on NATO
    members to withdraw their troops from countries in Eastern Europe, including
    Romania. Several rounds of talks between Washington and Moscow have taken place
    in recent days, producing no results.




    RUSSIA-ROMANIA
    RELATIONS – On Friday, Russia called
    on NATO to withdraw its troops from Romania and Bulgaria, as part of its
    so-called security guarantees. The Russian Foreign Ministry wants NATO to
    withdraw its troops, equipment and weapons from ex-Soviet states that were not
    part of the Alliance in 1997. Such is the case of Romania and Bulgaria,
    although analysts say Russia’s demands might also target Poland and the Baltic
    states. The Kremlin claims the West had promised in the 1990s, at the end of
    the Cold War, that NATO would never expand to states behind the former Iron
    Curtain. From Poland to Bulgaria, all former USSR satellites in Central and
    Eastern Europe are today part of NATO, as well as Estonia, Latvia and
    Lithuania. A March 2021 survey shows that 81% of Romanians believe the country
    should be focusing on the West in terms of political and military alliances,
    namely the EU, the USA and NATO. Only 10.4% of respondents believe Romania
    should be focusing on Russia and China.




    TENNIS – The
    pair made up of Jaqueline Cristian of Romania and Andrea Petkovic of Germany
    today advanced to the second round in the women’s doubles at the Australian
    Open after ousting the all-Romanian pair Simona Halep / Gabriela Ruse in
    straight sets. Raluca Olaru of Romania and Anna-Lena Friedsam of Germany were
    knocked out by Yifan Xu and Zhaoxuan Yang of China. The only Romanians left in
    the women’s singles, Simona Halep and Sorana Cîrstea, are competing in the
    third round on Saturday against Danka Kovinić of Montenegro and Anastasia
    Pavlyuchenkova of Russia, respectively. (VP)

  • Vaccination – information and disinformation

    Vaccination – information and disinformation

    The vaccines used in Romania are safe and efficient and are verified according to the highest standards that exist in the world, the Romanian health ministry said in reaction to a disinformation campaign launched in the public space and online. Messages on social media networks and printed materials distributed in busy areas or by post urge people not to have their children vaccinated. To give credibility to their messages, the authors of these materials use, without authorisation, the logos of the Romanian health ministry, the World Health Organisation and UNICEF.



    The health ministry has firmly denied any involvement in this disinformation campaign about the alleged inefficiency and risks of vaccination and warns that the materials distributed contain false information that can confuse parents and pose a threat to people’s lives. The health minister Sorina Pintea says legal action will be taken to hold the people behind this campaign accountable. In a similar reaction, UNICEF and the World Health Organisation say ensuring universal access to immunisation is more important than ever because of the measles epidemic that has broken out in several European countries.



    The two international bodies are worried that the measles vaccination rate in Romania is below the needed 95% threshold that ensures protection for the entire population. UNICEF and the World Health Organisation say they will continue to work with the Romanian health ministry to make sure that parents have access to the needed information and understand the benefits of vaccination, as well as the risks of the diseases that can be prevented through vaccination. They say it is inacceptable to see children dying from measles when a safe and efficient vaccine is available. The two organisations also say that by choosing immunisation for their children, parents will protect their children’s health and help protect the health of those around them. More than 80 fresh cases of measles were reported in Romania in the last week in August, according to the National Centre for the Supervision and Control of Communicable Diseases. According to this source, the total number of measles cases has exceeded 15,000, including 59 deaths.



    Out of four persons who develop measles, one needs hospitalisation, and for 1 in 1,000 people, the disease is deadly. In the experts’ opinion, the costs of prevention through vaccination would have been lower than the cost of treatment provided to the people who have caught measles, a disease which has become endemic in Romania. Specialists say all the deaths and the sick cases could have been prevented if the national calendar for vaccination for children and adults would have been respected in the case of 95% of the population, in keeping with the recommendations of the World Health Organisation. They also call for the sick children and teenagers who have not been vaccinated not to be allowed in groups.


    (Translated by C. Mateescu)