The deputy head of the Chisinau Health Division Boris Gîlca calls on the citizens to celebrate the winter holidays inside the family as experts anticipate an upsurge in the number of new cases of COVID-19 after the holidays.

“The coming holidays will be a serious challenge for the whole system for the simple reason that the Moldovans like enjoying themselves. It is important to realize that the winter holidays this year should be celebrated at home and only with the family members. If we care about the dear ones - the parents, grandparents, children, mother, father, brother and sister – this year we will stay at home and celebrate inside the family and will be then safe. We will all celebrate in different conditions, without COVID-19, next year, let’s hope,” Boris Gîlcă stated in the talk show “Emphasis on Today” on TVR Moldova channel.

The acting secretary of the Extraordinary Public Health Commission of Chisinau municipality said that the commission will soon make the restrictions harsher so as to prevent a massive rise in infections.

“We are indeed in a force majeure situation and must understand that the winter holidays traditionally lead to greater pressure on the health system owing to critical cases and so on,” stated the functionary.

Boris Gîlcă also said that the hospitality industry should stop work, but this will most probably not happen.

“We should avoid and ban all the New Year parties organized by companies, involving all the employees, with dances and so on. We must realize that such celebrations should be avoided. Expert forecasts show we will witness a considerable rise in the number of new cases after the holidays”.