Prime Minister Edi Rama said that the country must avoid closure due to the COVID-19 pandemic, at all costs.
“We must stop the closure of the country by any means, even a partial closure,” he stated when asked whether Albania could once again go into lockdown.
Rama also spoke about the decision to move university learning online. He said the decision was made based on the number of young people who are infected with COVID-19 and the fact that many are asymptomatic but spread the virus to others.
“This is not a situation where you can plan. These measures have nothing to do with desire but rather to do with the number of cases and the curve.”
He added that many young people have no symptoms and do not follow the rules closely. This means they risk transmitting the disease to others.
In terms of fees students paid for accommodation in dormitories, Rama said they would be postponed or reimbursed.
Due to the spread of COVID-19, a number of kindergartens have been closed throughout the country. Some private schools have also shifted online, temporarily at least due to cases of the virus amongst students.
