A church volunteer wearing protective equipment brings holy light to the people at their home during Christian Orthodox Easter celebration prior to the religious service held with closed doors due to the social distancing rules imposed by the state of emergency in Bucharest April 18, 2020. Daniel MIHAILESCU / AFP.

Romania will make wearing masks in public transport and other enclosed public spaces compulsory from May 15 when a lockdown imposed to stop the new coronavirus’s spread is lifted, its president said Wednesday.

“Maybe we’ll be able to give up wearing masks next year, when this pandemic will be under control,” Klaus Iohannis said as he appeared on camera wearing a mask.

Movement restrictions introduced as part of a state of emergency will be lifted, Iohannis added, though mass gatherings remain banned.

“We will move more freely, but life won’t return to the normalcy we knew before this pandemic,” Iohannis said.

“We must find a way to live with this virus… So while some measures will be relaxed, the personal responsibility of each of us will grow,” he added.

Romania has reported more than 9,700 cases of new coronavirus infections so far with 512 deaths.

On April 14, the EU member of almost 20 million people extended its nationwide lockdown for another month in a bid to slow the virus’s spread.

Under the restrictions enforced by the police and the army, citizens are banned from going outside except for work and essential shopping during the day.

Schools have been closed and most foreigners are barred from entering the country.

AFP