Romania: Authorities to tighten COVID-19 restrictions in areas with high infection rates starting March 28 /update 16

Event

Authorities in Romania plan to tighten COVID-19-related restrictions in parts of the country with infection rates of 4 or more cases per 1,000 inhabitants. Starting March 28, all areas with infection rates of 7.5 or more cases per 1,000 inhabitants will be under longer nightly curfews, with curfew hours running 20:00-05:00. In addition, nonessential stores will close daily at 18:00. These same restrictions will apply in areas with infection rates of 4-7.5 cases per 1,000 inhabitants, but only on Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays. During curfew hours, individuals may only leave their residences to perform essential tasks. As of March 26 only Ilfov county has an infection rate higher than 7.5 cases per 1,000 inhabitants; Bucharest, Brasov, Hunedoara, Timis, and Cluj have infection rates of between 4-7.5 cases.

Romania's health state of alert is slated to remain in force until at least April 12. Except where otherwise specified, the nationwide nightly curfew hours are 22:00-05:00. Other domestic restrictions that remain in place include:

Public gatherings of more than six people are prohibited.
In areas where the COVID-19 incidence rate is below 3 per 1,000 inhabitants, catering establishments are permitted to operate between 06:00-22:00 provided they comply with strict hygiene and social distancing requirements.
Nonessential business and services must close nightly at 21:00.
Cultural and entertainment venues are permitted to operate provided they comply with strict hygiene and social distancing requirements.
Facemasks are mandatory in all public spaces.

Under most circumstances, only travelers from European Economic Area (EEA) and EU countries, in addition to Australia, New Zealand, Rwanda, Singapore, South Korea, and Thailand, are permitted to enter Romania. Exceptions are in place for family members of EEA citizens and residents, individuals traveling for essential work or study, individuals in transit, and individuals traveling for urgent reasons. Authorities keep and regularly update a list of "high-risk" countries. As of March 26, the list of high-risk countries includes Estonia, Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland, Cyprus, Sweden, France, Italy, Austria, Belgium, and the Netherlands, among others.

Permitted individuals arriving from countries not included on the list of high-risk areas can enter without restriction. Individuals arriving from high-risk countries who can provide a negative result from a COVID-19 polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test taken within the previous 72 hours must self-isolate for 10 days on arrival; those without such test results must self-isolate for 14 days, though this can be reduced to 10 days by testing negative for COVID-19 on day eight of self-isolation. Travelers arriving from the UK must have a negative COVID-19 PCR test and self-isolate for 14 days on arrival. Cross-border workers, transport workers, and individuals in transit remaining in Romania for less than 24 hours are exempt from the quarantine requirements. Individuals who can present proof they have received a full course of vaccination against COVID-19 or have been confirmed positive for COVID-19 and recovered in the previous 90 days are also exempt from the quarantine requirements.

Authorities could reimpose, extend, further ease, or otherwise amend any restrictions with little-to-no notice depending on disease activity over the coming weeks.

Advice

Follow all official instructions. Abide by national health and safety measures. Reconfirm all travel arrangements. Consider delaying traveling if experiencing symptoms associated with COVID-19, as they may prompt increased scrutiny and delays. Liaise with trusted contacts for further updates and guidance. Maintain contact with your diplomatic representation. Ensure contingency plans account for further disruptive measures or extensions of current restrictions.