Сoronavirus Chroniclein Moldova: Has the Peak Passed?

Marina DRAGALIN Despite the slowdown in the COVID-19 incidence, the epidemiological situation in Moldova remains tense A new type of coronavirus pandemic continues to gain momentum. Another world anti-record was hit yesterday in the number of new cases of the disease - 227 thousand. Despite a periodic decrease in this indicator, the overall dynamics indicate a rigorous increase in the number of infected. Today, more than 12.2 million people are affected by COVID-19. The infection claimed nearly 555 thousand lives. The number of officially diagnosed coronavirus cases in Moldova is 18 666. Suspected of infection are 26 thousand residents of the republic. Last week, Moldova did not have peak infection rates, and on the whole, a decrease in the spread of infection can be noted. The number of active cases is also reduced - today they are almost 10% less than the peak value. At the same time, mortality rates remain high enough in the country - 627 people have already died from coronavirus. Obviously, talking about the controllability of the situation is still premature. The epidemiological crisis continues to challenge the health system and economy. The healthcare system, unprepared for such stress, is experiencing serious “fatigue” that has accumulated over four months of fighting against the epidemic. Hospital beds for patients with COVID-19 are running out, a shortage of medical personnel is an acute issue - specialists get sick, leave for a quarantine or simply cannot bear the strain. Throughout the entire epidemic period, coronavirus has affected more than 2.5 thousand health care workers. Medical staff account for about 14% of infections. Those remaining “in the ranks” are physically exhausted by abnormal work. The measures taken by the authorities to support medical personnel do not fundamentally change the situation. Despite the fact that strict quarantine restrictions have been lifted for several weeks, the economic situation in the country is in no hurry to recover. This is primarily due to low purchasing power as a result of the decreased income level of the population. The number of the unemployed is growing in Moldova, and if the April situation with the pandemic is repeated, their number, according to Prime Minister Ion Chicu, could reach 100 thousand by early autumn. According to the National Bureau of Statistics, more than 33 thousand people were in technical downtime, switched to part-time work or were sent on unpaid leave due to the epidemic in the first quarter of 2020. Surveys show that many women quit their jobs because of the need to look after their children while schools and kindergartens are closed. The situation is aggravated by the fact that, according to statistics, a quarter of Moldovans usually earn a living permanently or temporarily abroad. The pandemic has made adjustments to labor models, and this has hit the incomes hard. The so-called circular migrants suffered the most - those who traveled abroad from time to time to earn money for their families and return. For more than three months they were not able to leave the country to their job places. The COVID-19 incidence rate indicator has become a kind of eligibility criterion: high infection rates make Moldovans non grata persons in other countries and greatly limit their ability to move around the world both in search of work and leisure. Moldova remains in the Ukrainian list of “red zone” countries. Italy generally banned entry (even transit) to all persons who have been on the territory of Moldova for the past 14 days. Because of this, all flights from Chisinau to Italy were canceled. A large number of cases of COVID-19 still impede vacations of Moldovans in the resorts of Turkey, Bulgaria, Spain and Greece. In addition, the growing domestic political crisis side-tracks attention and resources of political forces from resolving pressing issues in healthcare. The steps taken to contain the epidemic are becoming an occasion to criticize the current government. Thus, the Pro Moldova parliamentary group submitted a vote of no confidence against public policy (actions and inaction) in the field of public health, accusing the head of the health ministry Viorica Dumbraveanu of the inept management of the pandemic crisis. The vote was rejected by the parliamentary commission on social protection, health care and the family. Hopefully, the Moldovan establishment will be able to move away from exclusively electoral logic in such difficult conditions and concentrate on developing a long-term state strategy to fight against the COVID-19 and take the epidemiological situation under control.