An empty shelf with vacuum-sealed food in a megamarket in the Romanian city of Timisoara was a terrifying sight for Ivanka Simonović, a student from Podgorica.
A state of emergency was declared in Romania on March 15. From Wednesday, March 25, Timisoara became a quarantine city: going out is possible only to the market, while everything else requires a special permit.
So far, more than 1.700 people have been infected with the new coronavirus in Romania, and the country reported over 300 new cases of the disease yesterday. 40 people have died so far.
Simonović is staying in Romania on a student exchange, through the Erasmus project.
He told "Vijesti" that the situation in Timisoara regarding the coronavirus got serious on March 11. Two weeks later, the city was declared under quarantine.
"Initially, lectures were cancelled. Queues formed in front of pharmacies, banks, telecommunications and other shops, and the number of clients in the facilities was limited. Day after day, the restrictions became greater, catering establishments were closed, except for some that deliver food or serve coffee to take away, which you can order and pay for at the door of the establishment...", says Simonović.
"An unusual and terrible sight was an empty shelf with vacuum-packed food and vegetables... Workers spraying the trolleys with disinfectants... Now the situation is better - empty shelves have become a rarity, and the supermarkets constantly advertise warnings, both in Romanian and in in English, that people keep a distance of two meters, that they wash their hands regularly and take care of many other important things. Everything can be seen on the written notices at the front doors of all shops. The doctor's appeal to respect and act as they advise us is also constant. They are constantly addressing the residents of Timisoara through the media. A lot of attention is focused on elderly people, who are given special help in case they find themselves unable to buy basic foodstuffs and medicines," says Simonović.
If they violate the quarantine, residents of Timisoara can be fined up to 2.000 euros.
"The 'Victor Babes' Infectious Diseases Hospital in Timisoara has been completely released in order to maximize the capacity to receive people infected with the coronavirus... What I am learning through the media is that donations are being collected for hospitals and other health units, in order to collect the necessary funds for treatment of coronavirus patients. The authorities appeal to us to stay in our homes, to reduce going out... The situation is serious. I tell everyone to think about each other, take care of what we are doing and to use these days to think carefully, because I think that we can learn great lessons from all of this so that we can move forward as better and more aware people", says the student from Podgorica.
Embassy available, if needed
Simonović's story that there was confusion among the exchange students as well.
"Many have received an invitation from their universities that they can return and give up the exchange of students, if they wish to do so. That's why some did it. Morocco, for example, sent a private plane for its students. All Montenegrin students residing in Romania reported to the Embassy of Montenegro in Bucharest. We left our contacts, and we were informed that the Embassy is at our disposal in case we need it".
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