Decision No 47 of National Extraordinary Public Health Commission from 26 February 2021

Chisinau, 26 February /MOLDPRES/ - Under the Article 58 from the Law No 10/2009 on the state supervision of the public health sector (Official Journal, 2009, No 67, Article 183), with the subsequent amendments, as a result of the analysis of the evolution of the epidemiological situation nationally and internationally, the National Extraordinary Public Health Commission (CNESP) finds out that the epidemiological situation is worsening quickly.

While a decrease in the number of new cases down to 50 per cent has been recorded in the countries from the European region in the last weeks, then in Moldova, starting from the third week, an essential increase in the number of new cases and growth of the share of positive tests have been recorded. Thus, in the week 7/21 (15.02.-21.02.2021) the number of cases increased by 16.9 per cent against the week 6/21 and the number of deaths grew by 19.4 per cent. The weight of positive tests for SARS-CoV-2 increased from 20 per cent in the week 2/21 to 31 per cent in the week 7/21. An average number of 20 deaths is recorded daily.   

As many as 181,886 COVID-19 cases were registered on 25 February 2021, of which 13,693 active ones; the incidence in the last 14 days – 351 cases for 100,000 people, the total incidence – 5,088 cases for 100,000 people; the death rate in the last 14 days – 6.8 deaths per 100,000 people, total death rate – 109 deaths for 100,000 people. The fatality rate in the last 14 days – 2 deaths for 100 cases, total fatality rate – 2.1 deaths for 100 cases. The serious forms represent 10.1 per cent, medium forms – 16.2 per cent, light forms and asymptomatic people – 73.7 per cent.   

The increase in the incidence, growth of the rate of infectiousness, the increase in the number of areas classified in red code of alert, growth of the number of serious forms of the disease, increase in the number of deaths, enhancement of the rate of positivity of the tests for the SARS-CoV-2 virus, increase in the number of asymptomatic forms, community spreads – all these things show tendencies of worsening of the epidemic process of the infection with COVID-19 in Moldova.     

Proceeding from the aforementioned things, the National Extraordinary Public Health Commission  

DECIDES:

1. CNESP establishes, as of 5 March 2021, for the period of emergency state in the public health sector, the compulsoriness of presenting, while crossing the state border to enter Moldova, the negative result of the PCR COVID-19 test, made by 72 hours before the entrance. The confirmation must be presented in one of the following languages: Romanian, English or Russian. Exception from the provisions of this point represent the children up to 5 years of age and the people stipulated in the points 6.1, 6.5, 6.6, 6.8 and 6.12 from the Annex to the Decision No 42 from 13 January 2021.

1.1. Moldova’s citizens who will not have the negative result of the PCR COVID-19 test, made 72 hours before the arrival, will be obliged to fill in the epidemiological card and observe the regime of self-isolation for 14 days, no matter the region from which they arrive.    

2. Additionally to the measures of prevention and control of the COVID-19 infection approved under the CNESP Decision No 35 from 27 November 2020 and No 45 from 15 February 2021, with the subsequent amendments, a special activity regime is established all over Moldova on the period 1-15 March.

3. The leaders of the public and private entities will ensure special working regime, through attracting to work of the strictly necessary staff, to ensure the institution’s functionality and of the personnel whose activity needs the obligatory presence at the work.  

4. Conditions for the distance work will be provided for the employees whose activity does not need the compulsory presence at the place of work.  

5. The ministries, State Chancellery, other central administrative authorities subordinated to the government and the organizational structures within their sphere of competence (subordinated administrative authorities, including  the de-concerted public services and the subordinated ones, as well as the public institutions, state enterprises and commercial societies with full or majority public capital in which the ministry, State Chancellery or other central administrative authority has capacity of founder) will organize the carrying out of the activity in the special working regime, starting from 7:30 till 16:00 and dinner break as of 12:00 till 12:30.  

6. The Commission instructs the organization of the online education process at the primary education institutions, gymnasiums, lyceums, extra-school institutions, vocational and higher schools, in public and private institutions.

7. The organization and holding of school Olympiads at study disciplines with physical presence of people is suspended as of 27 February 2021.

8. The carrying out of theatre and concert activities with the presence of spectators is banned at the headquarters of theatre and concert institutions, as well as community centres.

9. The territorial extraordinary public health commission of the Chisinau city is asked to establish a restricted regime of movement of the public transport in the area of the Chisinau municipality on Saturdays and Sundays.

10. The suspension of the action of the point 7 of the CNESP Decision No 45 from 15 February 2021is extended. On the concerned period, the provisions of point 4.4 from the Annex to the Decision No 35 from 27 November 2020 are enforced.   

10.1 The competent public authorities, within their competences, will continue monitoring the observance by private people and legal entities, who carry out activities of railway and road transport in local, municipal/district/inter-district, international transport and related activities (bus terminals/railway stations, vehicle testing stations, etc.) of the measures of prevention and control of the COVID-19 infection, provided for in the point 4 from the Annex to the CNESP decision No 35 from 27 November 2020.

10.2. Depending on the recorded level of observance of the measures of prevention and control of the COVID-19 infection, stipulated in the point 10.1, the measure will be revised.

11. The authorities in the public order sector will ensure the supervision of the observance by private people and legal entities of the measures of prevention and control of the COVID-19 infection, especially the regime of self-isolation for 14 days.  

12. The territorial extraordinary public health commissions will ensure the revision of all decisions/instructions approved, bringing them in line with the Decisions of the National Extraordinary Public Health Commission of Moldova.  

13. The provisions from the points 3-12 from the present Decision are compulsory for the central and local public administration authorities, no matter the activity sector and legal form of organization on the period 1-15 March 2021 inclusively, excepting the point 7, which enters into force on 27 February 2021.    

14. The decisions of the National Extraordinary Public Health Commission are executory for the central and local public administration authorities, for private people and legal entities, no matter the activity sector and the legal form of organization.  

15. CNESP recommends that media representatives inform the public about the need to strictly observe the measures of prevention and control of the COVID-19 infection.

16. The non-observance of the public health measures, set forth in the present Decision, represents danger for the public health and will serve as reason for calling the guilty people to contravention/criminal account. 

17. The present decision enters into force starting the moment of its issuance and is published on the Government’s official webpage.  

Chairman of the Commission, acting Prime Minister Aureliu Ciocoi

Deputy chairwoman of the Commission Health, Labour and Social Protection Minister Tatiana Zatic  

Secretary of the Commission, acting director of the National Public Health Agency Vasile Gustiuc