The pensions, allowances and other allocations intended for elderly people will be taken home to these as of April 1 this year. The measure was taken in the meeting of the Commission for Executional Situations and is aimed at preventing the formation of crowds by elderly people at post offices and banks for collecting these benefits and their infection with the novel coronavirus, IPN reports.

“We know that these benefits are paid during the first 10-15 days of the month and rather large groups of people are formed at post offices and banks in the period. To avoid crowdedness, we will distribute these benefits home through employees of Moldova’s Post Offices,” said Prime Minister Ion Chicu.

He noted that to protect the elderly people, the Commission decided to ban their presence in public places in the absence of pressing needs. They will be allowed only to go to work, to the hospital after medical assistance that cannot be put off, to grocery stores and to other places based on justified reasons.

In this connection, Premier Chicu called on the elderly people not to leave home if they do not need something urgently. “We will provide the necessary support to elderly people through the agency of employees of the Ministry of the Interior, central and local public authorities so as to provide them with what they need and they stay at home in this period as they are exposed to risks that threaten their life and health,” he stated.

According to the data provided by the Ministry of Health, Labor and Social Protection, 47 persons of the 109 diagnosed with COVID-19 are aged 50 and over.