Decision No 57 of Moldova's National Extraordinary Public Health Commission from 17 July 2021

Under the Article 55 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 and the national plan on anti-COVID-19 immunization, following the analysis of the evolution of the epidemiological situation and data on coverage with vaccination nationally and internationally, the National Extraordinary Public Health Commission (CNESP) finds out that the evolution of the epidemic process is unfriendly.  

An increase in the number of COVID-19 cases has been registered in Moldova in the last weeks. For the last 14 days, the incidence of COVID-19 was 26 cases per 100,000 people. Also, on the last period, the fatality rate has almost doubled, increasing from 2 to 3.13 deaths out of 100 cases of infections and a considerable growth of the infectiousness rate has been recorded (the effective reproduction number) from 0.75 on the 21st week of this year to 1.05 on the 27th week.    

Presently, the third stage of the vaccination process is held in Moldova. So far, 848,306 doses of anti-COVID-19 vaccine have been administered, of which the first dose was administered to 500,900 people and there are 347,406 people vaccinated with both doses in all. Thus, the coverage with vaccination nationally is 14.5 per cent with the first dose and 9.8 per cent with both doses. Therefore, the rate of coverage with vaccination is modest in Moldova against the global average, which is 22 per cent with the first dose.   

At the same, a significant increase in the number of cases of infection with the new variants of the SARS-CoV-2 virus is recorded internationally. The World Health Organization (WHO) warned about the risks triggered by the spread of the Delta and Delta+ variants, which have been already confirmed in about 100 states.  

Moldova’s competent authorities shipped relevant samples collected from sick people to the concerned laboratory from Germany and the findings have showed the presence of only the variant Alfa (British) of the virus.  

Given the high risk of import of new variants of the SARS-CoV-2 virus, as well as of their spread in Moldova, , the National Extraordinary Public Health Commission

DECISES:

1. CNESP maintains the measures of prevention and control of the COVID-19 infection, applicable nationally, under the Decision No 54 of the National Extraordinary Public Health Commission from 29 April 2021, with amendments and completions.  

2. The point 4 of the annex to the CNESP Decision No 54 from 29 April 2021 is abrogated starting from 19 July 2021.  

3. The following measures of prevention and control of the COVID-19 infection are established at the crossing of the state border in the direction of entering Moldova:   

3.1. The Health, Labour and Social Protection Ministry (MSMPS) will establish the list of countries with high or low epidemiological risk of transmission of COVID-19, classified in the red zone and green zone. The list will be published on the official webpages of MSMPS, Interior Ministry (MAI), Foreign Affairs and European Integration Ministry (MAEIE) and National Public Health Agency (ANSP). The list of countries meeting the red zone and green zone will be updated once in seven days on Fridays and will enter into force on Mondays of the next week. The criterion on the basis of which decision-makers establish the meeting by the countries/ areas of the high epidemiological risk (red zone) is the cumulative rate of incidence of new cases of infection with COVID-19 in the last 14 days related per 100,000 residents.       

3.2. The classification of countries/areas with epidemiological risk, depending on the cumulated incidence in 14 days, will be made as follows:  

3.2.1. the green zone will comprise the countries/regions where the cumulate rate of incidence of new cases of infection with COVID-19 in the last 14 days, related to 100,000 residents, is lower or equal to 100;

3.2.2. the red zone will comprise the countries/regions where the cumulate rate of incidence of new cases of infection with COVID-19 in the last 14 days, related to 100,000 residents, is higher than 100.

3.3. As for the people who cross the state border entering Moldova and who spent the previous 14 consecutive days in one or more states classified as green zone (including the ones who transited countries clasified as red zone in a period which does not exceed 24 hours), decision-makers establish the compulsoriness to present a negative result of the PCR test for COVID-19, made by 72 hours before embarkation at the earliest, for people travelling by public transports means or by 72 hours at the earliest before entering Moldova, for the people who travel by their personal transport means. The confirmation must be presented in one of the following languages: Romanian, English, French, German, Italian or Russian.    

3.4. People who cross the state border entering Moldova and come from countries classified as green zone and have no negative result of the PCR test for COVID-19, provided for in the point   3.3., will observe a regime of self-isolation of 14 days. The concerned people will compulsorily fill in an epidemiological card and will sign a declaration on their own responsibility to observe the 14-day self-isolation regime in the places declared. In the case of minors smaller than 14 years, the legal representative or the accompanying person will sign the epidemiological card and the declaration on one’s own responsibility.   

3.5. CNESP establishes exceptions from the provisions of the sub-points 3.3 and 3.4 for the following categories of people, if they do not have clinical symptoms of respiratory infection or fever:

3.5.1. the people who have an act confirming the anti-Covid-19 vaccination, presented in one of the following languages: Romanian. English, French, German, Italian or Russian. The proof of immunization is valid, if at least 14 days have passed since the finishing of the full scheme of vaccination;

3.5.2. children with the age up to 6 years;

3.5.3. pupils/students will ages up to 18 years, who are to take exams, to go to study in education units/institutions in Moldova or abroad or who move for activities dealing with the finishing/organization/carrying out of education/participation in international contests or Olympiads, with the presentation of the confirmatory documents, as well as the people accompanying them;   

3.5.4. minors with ages up to 18 years, accompanied by people possessing a confirmatory act of administering of the anti-COVID-19 vaccine, issued by the Hungarian competent institutions in one of the following languages: Romanian, English, French, German, Italian or Russian. The exception has at its basis the provisions of the agreement reached between Moldova and Hungary;     

3.5.5. drivers and the staff who serve the vehicles which carry goods and vehicles which carry passengers against payment, which have more than 9 places on chairs, including the driver’s place, the crews and personnel who serve the trains. This exception will be valid till 1 August 2021;

3.5.6. the people who travel for imperative reasons of health or humanitarian ones, including the accompanying person, as case may be (with the presentation of the confirmatory documents);   

3.5.7. the cross-border employees who enter Moldova from Romania or Ukraine, as well as the ones from Moldova, who are employees of economic agents from the aforementioned countries, who prove contractual relations with the concerned economic agents;

3.5.8. owners of diplomatic, business, official and special passports, as well as others assimilated to them, as well as beneficial owners of the LaissezPasser-type travel documents , issued by the United Nations Organization, including the members of the families of the staff of the diplomatic and consular missions, as well as the international organizations/missions accredited in Moldova and/or the staff involved in providing humanitarian assistance;    

3.5.9. people in transit (who do not spend more than 24 hours after their entrance was recorded in Moldova), with the transiting itinerary established by the General Inspectorate of Border Police;   

3.5.10. people who are summoned by courts/law-enforcement bodies of Moldova, as well as their legal representatives, which is proved by confirmatory documents;

3.5.11. people who have a confirmatory act of presence of antibodies to COVID-19, presented in one of the following languages: Romanian, English, French, German, Italian or Russian. The confirmatory act is valid during 90 days after the date when the investigation was carried out.

3.6. As for the people crossing the state border to enter Moldova and who come from countries described as red zone (including people who transited countries described as green zone), they will observe the regime of self-isolation for 14 days. The concerned people will obligatorily fill in the epidemiological card and will sign a declaration on their own responsibility to observe the regime of self-isolation for 14 days in the places declared. In the case of the minors up to the age of 14 years, the legal representative or the accompanying person will fill in and sign the epidemiological card and the declaration on one’s own responsibility.   

3.7. CNESP establishes exceptions from the provisions of the sub-points 3.3 and 3.4 for the following categories of people, if they do not have clinical symptoms of respiratory infection or fever:

3.7.1. the people who have an act confirming the anti-Covid-19 vaccination, presented in one of the following languages: Romanian. English, French, German, Italian or Russian. The proof of immunization is valid if at least 14 days have passed since the finishing of the complete scheme of vaccination;

3.7.2. children with the age up to 6 years;

3.7.3. children with ages between 6 and 18 years, if they present a negative result of the PCR test for COVID-19, made by 72 hours before the embarkation at the earliest, for the people who travel by public transport units or by 72 hours at the earliest before entering Moldova, for people who travel by their own transport means. The confirmation must be presented in one of the following languages:  Romanian. English, French, German, Italian or Russian.   

3.7.4. people who have a confirmatory act of presence of antibodies to COVID-19, presented in one of the following languages: Romanian, English, French, German, Italian or Russian. The confirmatory act is valid during 90 days after the date when the investigation was carried out.

3.7.5. people in transit (who do not spend more than 24 hours after their entrance was recorded in Moldova), with the transiting itinerary established by the General Inspectorate of Border Police;   

3.8. People who are in self-isolation regime (quarantine), no matter the zone from which they came, can interrupt this regime after the 7th day, if they make a PCR test for COVID-19 and its result is negative;

4. The head of institutions, enterprises, organizations, agencies and institutions subordinated to them, no matter the form of property, will ensure a safe environment for activity at the working place, as well as the facilitation and active encouraging of the staff subordinated for the vaccination against COVID-19 as the only public health measure for the infection’s prevention and control, in order to achieve a rate of vaccination among the employees of at least 70 per cent by 1 September 2021.

5. CNESP allows the carrying out of one-off festive events at public nourishment units, by occupying 50 per cent of the places at the most in closed spaces at the units, provided for in the Notification on initiating trade activities, with the strict observance of the measures of prevention and control of the COVID-19 infection and organizers’ obligation to compile the list of participants, with epidemiological record, according to the model established (name, given name, IDNP, phone number, email, home address).      

6. A limited number of people are allowed inside the public nourishment units of any type, so that an area of at least 4 square metres is provided for each person. The flow of people will be guided, so that agglomerations are avoided.   

7. A limited number of people are allowed on the territory of leisure zones, so that an area of at least 4 square metres is provided for each person. The flow of people will be guided, so that agglomerations are avoided.   

8. The wearing of masks is compulsory in all closed public spaces, in the public transport and at stations, including in the open spaces where the observance of the physical distance is not possible. The mask must cover both the nose and the mouth.  

9. Interior Ministry’s representatives will ensure:

9.1. the boosting of measures of prevention and control of the COVID-19 infection at the border crossing points;

9.2. the fostering of measures of control of the COVID-19 infection, according to the provisions of the decisions by the National Extraordinary Public Health Commission in the closed and open public spaces, in the public transport, agricultural markets, commercial centres, leisure zones, etc.  

9.3. the active monitoring of the people placed in self-isolation, undergoing treatment at home and of the contacts.  

10. Representatives of the National Public Health Agency (ANSP) will ensure the boosting of the measures of control of the COVID-19 infection, according to the provisions of the decisions by the National Extraordinary Public Health Commission in agricultural markets, commercial centres, leisure zones, HoReCa unit, public nourishment and trade enterprises, etc.     

11. Representatives of the Health, Labour and Social Protection Ministry will ensure:  

11.1. the fostering of the process of anti-COVID-19 vaccination;

11.2. the organization of activities of enhancing the vigilance of medical employees as to the spread of the new varieties of Sars-CoV-2 and active monitoring of the people who are in self-isolation and the contacts.

11.3. the work of the vaccination centres at the medical and sanitary institutions on the days off, according to the schedule established.   

12. The territorial public health commissions:

a) will instruct the facilitation of organizing the process of vaccination against Covid-19 and will hold meetings at least once in two weeks, in order to discuss the results and challenges of the vaccination process, with the identification and implementation of the actions necessary;    

b) will establish the goal of coverage with vaccination of 70 per cent of the eligible population at the level of each administrative area till 1 December 2021.

13. 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. 

14. The territorial extraordinary public health commissions will ensure the revision of all decisions/instructions approved, bringing them in line with CNESP’s decisions.

15. CNESP asks media representatives to inform the public about the provisions of this decision, as well as about 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 at the moment of its issuance and is published on the Government’s official webpage.  

Chairman of the Commission, acting Prime Minister Aureliu Ciocoi

Deputy chairman of the Commission Health, State Secretary at the Labour and Social Protection Minister Igor Curov  

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