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The novel coronavirus pandemic has forced Romania's health system to modernize after 30 years of idleness, Health Minister Nelu Tataru told private broadcaster B1 TV on Monday evening, according to AGERPRES.
"So far, we have increased ventilator, monitor and syringe pump capacities by over 75 percent and under the ongoing contracts, there will be yet a further advance of 17 percent until the end of the year. Our contracts are running until April next year, when everything equipment will have been 146 percent modernised. This forced modernization comes after 30 years of non-action, but we must also keep in mind that all this requires a human firepower. (... ) The medical system is doing everything possible at the moment. (...) But we are not relying on the medical system alone. Contradictory discussions at this moment, entering a campaign rhetoric could do nothing but harm at this time," Tataru said.
He also reminded that the first peak of the epidemic was on April 29, which was followed by a slowdown in infections but then relaxation triggered a relapse. "You saw the growth over the summer, as we reopened theaters, restaurants, cinemas, as the population returned to work, public transport became crowded again, schools started and we also had an election campaign."
According to Tataru, "what happens on Christmas depends on what will be tomorrow or in a few weeks".
"We have some benchmarks at this moment and I told you what my barometers are: emergency admissions, hospitalizations, deaths, intensive care. If we follow the rules, we have three epidemiological cycles of 14 days each at the end of which we should hit a plateau. We must go through that cycle of 3 x 14 days in order to see infection numbers decrease. Whoever thinks that with rule observance just optional we will have a peaceful Christmas or trips to the mountains or abroad as usual is wrong. Just think that we are not the only ones in this. All the communities, all the countries are closing their borders. (...) I think we should all, in a common effort, reach a common denominator: the observance of specific rules, for a quality treatment under low pressure," the Health Minister said.
