Moldova reinstates mask mandate in public places, social distancing requirements
CHISINAU. Aug 16 (Interfax) - The new measures to fight the Covid-19 pandemic endorsed at a meeting of Moldova's National Public Health Emergency Commission on Friday entered into force in the country on Monday.
These measures reinstate a face mask mandate in all indoor public spaces, including public transport, as well as in outdoor spaces where it is impossible to keep a distance of at least one meter from one another. They also require people to keep a social distance of at least one meter from one another in public places, except for situations where special rules envision other social distancing requirements.
Under the new rules, indoor catering establishments, theaters, museums, cinemas, libraries, leased premises, premises hosting different festivities such as weddings and birthday parties, premises hosting festivals, fairs, etc., sports centers, and swimming pools are allowed to operate at 50% capacity at the most. Meanwhile, the number of participants in events is restricted to 250 people in indoor spaces, thus "ensuring at least four square meters per person, which is in strict compliance with health protection rules."
In accordance with the commission's decision, local public health emergency commissions will be able to enforce these measures in line with the degree of preparedness in the administrative territory under their control. Chisinau Mayor Ion Ceban has already announced that the municipal commission will meet within the next few days, intending to impose tighter restrictions in the Moldovan capital, which is seeing an increase in Covid-19 cases. Meanwhile, 25% of Chisinau's population has been vaccinated against Covid-19, which is almost twice as many as in the rest of the country on average.
Moldova launched its Covid-19 vaccination campaign on March 2. Of the 3.2 million citizens in Moldova, 1.2 million have been vaccinated to date, and of them half have received two shots. After vaccination began, the spread of Covid-19 considerably slowed in Moldova, dropping to 100 or even fewer cases per day from 2,000-1,500 cases per day previously.
However, the number of daily infections has been growing again since the beginning of August. More than 200 new cases per day were recorded on a number of days this month, including last week, for the first time over the past four months. Ninety-seven new cases of Covid-19 were registered on Sunday, August 15. Moldova's total case count since the onset of the pandemic stands at 262,044, including 254,096 recoveries and 6,308 deaths.