{"id":449239,"date":"2021-02-27T14:11:23","date_gmt":"2021-02-27T14:11:23","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.moldova.org\/en\/?p=449239"},"modified":"2021-03-03T16:45:36","modified_gmt":"2021-03-03T16:45:36","slug":"covid-19-update-negative-test-results-required-at-border-checkpoints-and-the-first-arriving-vaccine-doses","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.moldova.org\/en\/covid-19-update-negative-test-results-required-at-border-checkpoints-and-the-first-arriving-vaccine-doses\/","title":{"rendered":"COVID-19 update: Negative test results required at border checkpoints and the first arriving vaccine doses"},"content":{"rendered":"Reading Time: <\/span> 3<\/span> minutes<\/span><\/span>

“There is a significant increase in the number of newly confirmed cases and a growth in the share of positive tests in the Republic of Moldova. An average of 20 deaths are recorded daily,”<\/em> this is how the last press release<\/a> of the Ministry of Health Labour and Social Protection<\/strong> (MHLSP) was introduced to the public.<\/p>\n

Between February 15-21, the number of confirmed cases increased by 16.9%<\/span>, while the number of deaths increased by 19.4%<\/span>, as compared to one week before. The share of positive tests was 31%<\/span> during the same period. The incidence of coronavirus cases, in the last 14 days, was 351 cases per 100 thousand people, whereas mortality was 6.8 deaths per 100 thousand people, according to the official data<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Therefore, the National Extraordinary Public Health Commission (NEPHC) <\/strong>decided<\/a> to establish a special regime of activity in the whole country between March 1-15. According to the new restrictions, public and private education institutions are forced to carry out their activity online only, while theatres and concert halls are shut down again. Public transportation in capital city are to be stopped at weekends. At the same time, public and private entities have to ensure a special work regime – arranging remote work for their staff, except the strictly necessary employees. That could mean a new wave of unpaid leaves or unemployment for Moldovan citizens.<\/p>\n

That is while nothing was mentioned about the activity of restaurants, bars, karaoke clubs and churches, which remain important examples of potential contagion epicentres.<\/p>\n

The NEPHC decision, issued on February 26, also states that people who will enter the Republic of Moldova, starting March 5, will be required to present a negative PCR test result, performed 72 hours before arrival.<\/strong> <\/span>Exceptions are children up to the age of 5, drivers and service personnel, performing transportation of goods and persons, crews and service personnel of aircraft, ships and trains, members of official delegations, cross-border workers, passengers in transit and holders of a vaccination certificate.<\/p>\n

All Moldovan and foreign citizens who will not have the test results, will be required to comply with a 14-day self-isolation regime<\/span>, regardless of the country they come from.<\/span><\/p>\n

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The Medicines and Medical Devices Agency (MMDA) announced<\/a> yesterday that 3 vaccines were authorised in Moldova: Pfizer\/BioNTech, AstraZeneca<\/strong>, as well as Gam-COVID-Vac (Sputnik V)<\/strong>. “It was decided to conditionally authorize the vaccines included by the World Health Organization (WHO) in the Emergency Use Listing (EUL): Pfizer\/BioNTech and AstraZeneca, but also the Gam-COVID-Vac vaccine. It should be mentioned that the conditional authorization of vaccines creates the opportunity to initiate the process of immunization of the population,”<\/em> it is stated in the institution’s announcement<\/a>.<\/p>\n

The Russian Sputnik V was not yet authorized by the WHO, facing international scepticism, as it had been prematurely announced just before clinical trials began (phase 3) and scientific results were announced.<\/p>\n

The first vaccine shots have already arrived to the Republic of Moldova. Romanian Prime-Minister, Florin C\u00ee\u021bu<\/strong>, informed<\/a> that 21 600 AstraZeneca vaccine doses<\/strong> were sent to Moldova. “It is the first batch of the 200 000 doses we offer as humanitarian aid to Moldovan citizens. The rest will follow in the coming months,”<\/em> the official added.<\/p>\n

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Source: Florin C\u00ee\u0163u| Facebook<\/p><\/div>\n