Prioritization of vaccination for the personnel exposed to the risk of contacting COVID-19

ANISP supports the AOMR initiative to include exposed personnel in the telecom industry on the list of immunization priorities. To this end, the following request was sent to the Government and the National Steering Committee for Activities on Vaccination against SARS-CoV-2:

Dear Prime Minister,
Dear Sirs,

In this week’s government meeting, Government Decision 12/2021 was approved, which introduces additional population categories in the second stage of the national vaccination campaign against SARS-CoV-2.

Thus, our recent request to include the technical intervention staff – own and subcontracted – in the second stage of vaccination has not yet been solved.

Thus, we want to reiterate the arguments for which, in our opinion, it is absolutely necessary that certain categories of employees of communications operators must fall into this priority category. These are the technical teams that ensure the installation and maintenance of electronic communications networks – from critical levels for the operation of networks, to household-level connections. These people come in daily contact with many people by the nature of the operations carried out.

The activity of electronic communications represents an essential field of modern life, without which it is not possible to carry out in normal conditions the social life even in the period before the declaration of states of emergency / alert and even more so in this period when electronic communications services have has been a vital support for the conduct of economic, social, public institutions and authorities activities as follows:

Fixed telephony and mobile telephony services serve both the population and the institutions and authorities included in the second stage of vaccination. We further mention the main areas and applications that can only work to the extent that the telephony services of electronic communications operators are functional:

• the 112 emergency service, the Ro-alert service, technically managed by the Special Telecommunications Service, are based on the infrastructure of the telephony operators, without which they cannot operate,
• telephone scheduling for vaccination, as well as ensuring communication between people in isolation / quarantine and health authorities, family doctors, specialists is carried out through telephone services,
• any public authority has phone lines in order to ensure communication between citizens and each authority, telephone communication or by alternative means being recommended by the authorities during this period as long as the social / physical distance is necessary.

The internet access service serves both the population and the institutions and authorities included in the second stage of vaccination. We further mention the main areas and applications that can only work to the extent that the internet access service of electronic communications operators is functional:

• Online scheduling for vaccination
• Submission of tax returns by taxpayers
• Teleconferences / videoconferences of Romanian state officials with European or other state officials
• Payment of fees, taxes through various applications of banks, as well as through the application ghișeul.ro
• Operation of cash registers of economic agents
• Payment to traders / economic agents through POS
• Issuance of reimbursed or free medical prescriptions
• Making various online orders by citizens
• Public auctions through SEAP
• Online schooling
• Remote working imposed as a legal obligation for employers during the state of alert/emergency
• Many other applications

The retransmission service of television programs (cable or satellite television – DTH) is the main way in which the population receives the program services of the Romanian Television Company, as well as the other program services of private television in Romania included in the second stage of vaccination.

We also reiterate the request to include in the same stage of vaccination the front-line commercial staff of electronic communications operators, i.e. the staff serving the stores where direct receipts are made from customers who cannot use remote payment methods.

Vaccination of the above two categories at this stage would not only provide their own protection, but would also reduce the potential risk of spreading the disease further.

Accordingly, please order the necessary steps to amend Annex Government Decision 1031/2020 to Subchapter 2, point C, para. 2, point b, point iii as follows:

“Communications, namely the Special Telecommunications Service, national radio and television, the own and subcontracted technical intervention staff of electronic communications operators, as well as their commercial staff working in direct contact with the public.”

We continue to assure you of our full collaboration, thank you.

Sincerely,

Orange Romania SA
Vodafone Romania SA
Telekom Romania Mobile Communications SA
RCS – RDS SA
The National Association of Internet Service Providers in Romania (ANISP)