The fourth COVID-19 pandemic wave goes through different stages in the countries of Central and Eastern Europe. In Moldova, this started in July 2021 and was evidently imported, given the trips during the summer vacation. This way, 1,259 import cases of COVID-19 were recorded in July-October. These were imported from over 40 countries, shows an analytical note of the Association for Participatory Democracy ADEPT. According to this, the fourth pandemic wave came in the wake of the diminution of the population’s interest in immunization, IPN reports.

The decline in the number of vaccinations probably has a major impact on the length of the pandemic wave, which continues for the fourth month. Statistics show that the situation during the last week of October reversed, a decline of 14% and, respectively, 19% in COVID-19 cases being reported in Moldova and Romania.

Moldova is in the middle of the rankings by the incidence rate, following a downward trend. Nevertheless, the number of deaths due to COVID-19 rose by 10% at the end of October.

Health professionals say vaccination remains the most efficient remedy against COVID-19. Regrettably, the Republic of Moldova is among the last by the vaccination rate.

Even if vaccination is important in the fight against the pandemic, the restrictions imposed by the authorities are anyway important. The portal ourworldindata.org assessed the stringency index that is a composite measure based on nine response indicators including school closures, workplace closures, and travel bans. The stringency index in Moldova is very low compared with the similar index in Latvia. The authorities in Moldova only intend to introduce certificate requirements at the workplace, but this intention is challenged by the National Employers Confederation.

The number of COVID-19 cases in the territorial-administrative units was different in October. “It should be noted that elections to the People’s Assembly of Gagauzia were held in Gagauzia on September 19 and October 3 and statistics show that the conduct of the election campaign by obeying the COVID-19 protection measures didn’t have a negative impact on the epidemiological situation in the region,” says the note. The incidence rate in ATU Gagauzia in October rose by only 15% at a time when the rate nationwide grew by 60%.

The analytical note was developed in the framework of the project “Improving public scrutiny of the activity of central public authorities in the management of the COVID-19 crisis”, with support from the U.S. Embassy in Moldova.