The COVID-19 pandemic in Romania, a part of the worldwide pandemic, began on 26 February 2020 when the first case of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) in Romania was confirmed in Gorj County was confirmed.
As of 31 January 2022, the National Institute of Public Health reported around 2,200,000 cases, 1,800,000 recoveries, and 60,000 COVID-19-related deaths. More than 11.7 million RT-PCR tests and more than 7.3 million rapid antigen tests were processed.
An anti-COVID-19 vaccination campaign, part of a global effort to slow down the spread of the virus, started on 27 December 2020. As of 27 January 2022, over 50% of the country's eligible population had received at least one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine as part of an ongoing national vaccination campaign.
As of 21 January 2023, 16,102,916 COVID-19 vaccine doses had been administered in Romania.
Background
On 12 January, the World Health Organization (WHO) confirmed that a novel coronavirus was the cause of a respiratory illness in a cluster of people in Wuhan City, Hubei, China, who had initially come to the attention of the WHO on 31 December 2019.
Unlike SARS of 2003, the case fatality ratio for COVID-19 was much lower, but the transmission was significantly greater, with a significant total death toll.
Timeline
21 February – 2 March 2020: First cases, early preventive measures
On 21 February, following a COVID-19 pandemic in Italy, the Romanian government announced a 14-day quarantine for citizens returning from the affected regions.
On 22 February, the Romanian government announced several preventive measures including designation of five hospitals as isolation centres for new cases, purchase and placement of thermal scanners in international airports and specially designated lines for passengers coming from areas affected by COVID-19 outbreak.
On 25 February, new measures were imposed. Upon arrival on the Romanian territory, all asymptomatic travelers from the affected areas, respectively Hubei, the 11 localities in Italy, and any remaining passengers on the Diamond Princess cruise ship went directly to quarantine for a period of 14 days. The other people coming from the Lombardy and Veneto regions entered voluntary isolation at home for 14 days, upon arrival in Romania.
On 26 February, the Minister of Education and Research required schools to spread awareness about coronavirus. Two days later, the Romanian Orthodox Church suggested that followers use their own spoons and avoid the traditional kissing of icons in church.
On 2 March, more preventive measures were taken by the National Committee for Special Emergency Situations. Thus, citizens arriving from other provinces or cities in mainland China, other localities in the Lombardy, Veneto or Emilia-Romagna regions of Italy, as well as areas and localities in South Korea and Iran not previously specified for institutionalised quarantine, enter 14 days of self-isolation at home immediately upon returning to Romania.
8–13 March 2020: Ban on public gatherings, school and border closures
On 8 March, the Head of the Department for Emergency Situations, Raed Arafat, announced a ban on all indoor or outdoor activities involving the participation of more than 1,000 people (these numbers were subsequently changed, see below). These restrictions were valid until 31 March, when a new assessment would be made. After Northern Italy was put under quarantine on 8 March, low-cost airline Wizz Air suspended all flights to Treviso and Bergamo until 3 April. Likewise, Blue Air cancelled all flights to and from Milan for 8 and 9 March. In the same day, flights from and to Italy have been suspended. In a press conference, Interior Minister Marcel Vela stated that if a school reported even a single case, courses would be suspended throughout the school.
On 9 March, officials announced the cessation of flights to and from Italy, at all airports in the country, until 23 March. On the same day, the National Committee for Special Emergency Situations decided to close all schools in Romania, from 11 March until 22, with the possibility of extending the measure. All bus rides and rail transport to and from Italy were suspended from 10 to 31 March. The committee also decided to establish a series of obligations for food units and for public and private providers of passenger transport, such as frequent disinfection of surfaces, avoiding crowds in commercial spaces, frequent disinfection of the passenger compartment in the means of transport, etc.
On 11 March, the Government published a list of fifteen guidelines regarding the "responsible social behavior in preventing the spread of coronavirus (COVID-19)". The authorities have imposed a ban on sports, scientific, religious, cultural or entertainment events with over 100 participants in closed spaces until 31 March. Likewise, the public activities for museums were suspended until 31 March.
On 12 March, Serbian authorities closed seven border points with Romania to prevent the spread of coronavirus. On the same day, the Romanian Ombudsman asked President Klaus Iohannis to declare the state of emergency and the Romanian Parliament to approve it. In a televised statement, the Secretary of State in the Ministry of Health, Nelu Tătaru, said that the current situation does not impose such an extreme measure. The Romanian Football Federation decided to postpone all football matches in Romania until 31 March. Interior Minister Marcel Vela announced that the border crossing points with low traffic had been closed so that employees there to be directed to high traffic posts. Health Minister Victor Costache issued an order prohibiting the export of medicines and medical equipment for six months.
On 13 March, Vergil Chițac, former admiral, who acts as an independent in the PNL senators' group, was diagnosed with COVID-19. He isolated himself after finding out that a French parliamentarian, with whom he had been traveling to Brussels, was found with coronavirus. On 9 March, Chițac attended a party meeting with over 100 people. Parliamentary sources claim that he was also present in the Senate on 12 March, when he attended the group and plenary sessions. In these conditions, all members of the National Political Bureau of PNL self-isolated at home. Interim Prime-minister Ludovic Orban announced that all PNL senators have an obligation to isolate themselves and that he would self-isolate at Vila Lac 1. He also announced that all ministers would be tested for coronavirus and self-isolate.
14–21 March 2020: State of emergency
On 14 March, after over 101 people had been diagnosed with coronavirus, Romania entered the third COVID-19 scenario. The third scenario went from 101 to 2,000 cases. In the third scenario the doctors would perform epidemiological screening in the tents installed in the hospitals' yards, and the hospitals of infectious diseases would treat only cases of SARS-CoV-2 infection. Likewise, the authorities would be able to impose quarantine at home, not just in hospitals, as in many areas the capacities of medical units could be exceeded. At the same time, according to the plan in the third scenario, public gatherings with more than 50 people were banned. Three more liberals were diagnosed with COVID-19, all contacts of senator Vergil Chițac. Marcel Ciolacu, President of the Chamber of Deputies, announced that Parliament would suspend its activity for a week. However, the activities were carried out online. The same day, President Klaus Iohannis announced his decision to decree the state of emergency in Romania starting 16 March.
On 16 March, Iohannis issued the decree establishing the state of emergency in Romania for a period of 30 days and insisted that the implementation of the measures included in the decree was being made gradually. The schools were closed during the state of emergency. If necessary, prices may be capped on medicines and medical equipment, on strictly necessary foods and on public utility services (electricity and heat, gas, water supply, sanitation, fuels, etc.). Also, gradual measures can be taken, if the situation gets worse, only after an evaluation of the National Committee for Special Emergency Situations. These include temporary closure of restaurants, hotels, cafes, clubs, gradual closure of borders, or limiting or prohibiting the movement of vehicles or people in/to certain areas. On 19 March, the Parliament convened a joint online session and unanimously adopted the decree issued by Iohannis.
Until 17 March, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs facilitated the return to the country for 137 Romanians who were abroad, either as tourists, in transit, or in medical emergency situations and who were directly affected by the measures adopted by the states in which they were. Later that same day, the government issued its first Military Ordinance, in response to the ongoing health crisis. Four days later, on 21 March, a second Military Ordinance was issued: no groups larger than 3 people on the streets. Curfew from 10 p.m. to 6 a.m. All shopping centres were closed, except for the sale of food, veterinary or pharmaceutical products and cleaning services. It was forbidden for foreign citizens and stateless persons to enter Romanian territory, except through the specially organised transit corridor, further exceptions being made for other categories, such as residents, family members, and others.
22 March – 2 April 2020: First deaths, national lockdown, Suceava quarantine
On 22 March, the first three deaths were reported in Romania. All three had preexisting conditions: one was on dialysis, one had terminal lung cancer, and one had diabetes. The next day, on 23 March, Suceava's main hospital, the Saint John the New Emergency County Hospital of Suceava, one of the largest in the country, reported at least 70 medical personnel infected with COVID-19, and 2 patients dying. Over the following days, their numbers would increase. The hospital director was dismissed, shortly thereafter, for mismanagement.
Following a surge in new confirmed cases, on 24 March, the government announced Military Ordinance No.3, instituting a national lockdown and calling in the military to support police and Gendarmerie personnel in enforcing the new restrictions. Movement outside the home or household was prohibited, with some exceptions (work, buying food or medicine etc.). People over 65 were allowed to leave their homes only between 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. Two days later, on 26 March, the state airline TAROM suspended all internal flights.
A fourth Military Ordinance was issued on 29 March, further strengthening previously imposed fines and restrictions. Two more would soon follow, issued close to the end of the next day; namely, a fifth, extending the ban on international travel, and a sixth, placing Suceava, along with eight adjacent communes, under total quarantine, the first Romanian city to be placed under complete lockdown since the start of the outbreak in late February, holding over a quarter of all infected cases, and about two-thirds of all infected medical personnel. Some hospital staff have quit, others have signed a petition stating they "are sent to death barehanded".
On 2 April, Harghita reported its first case, becoming the last county in Romania to report at least one case.
4 April – 14 May 2020: Face masks, Easter Week
On 4 April, a seventh Military Ordinance was issued, further extending the national lockdown period, and imposing a second local quarantine on the town of Țăndărei, Ialomița County. On the same date, various counties and localities have started drafting local legislation requiring denizens to wear protection masks, whether professional or improvised. The next day, Raed Arafat posted an article on his official Facebook page, later picked up by the national media and other news outlets, encouraging citizens to wear protective masks, even if homemade. Prime minister Ludovic Orban, on the other hand, expressed doubts concerning not only the safety of homemade improvisations, but also about the necessary logistics for successfully implementing such a large scale operation, inasmuch as the demand would greatly outweigh the extant offer currently available on the market.
On 7 April, a 53-year-old paramedic from Suceava became the first reported casualty among Romanian medical personnel. As of 18 April, there were over a thousand infected medical staff in the country.