Ministry of National Defence
Press release No. 281 12.10.2021
Humanitarian flight performed by the Romanian Air Force

On Tuesday, 12th October, a Romanian Air Force C-27J Spartan aircraft will airlift almost 5,200 doses of monoclonal antibodies from Milano, Italy, which are part of the treatment protocol against COVID-19.

The help offered by Italy to Romania, by delivering these doses from the stocks pertaining to Lombardy Region, comes following the request of support made by the Romanian state in order to combat the effects generated by the significant increase of the SARS-CoV-2 cases. The request was addressed to the Emergency Response Coordination Center (ERCC), by means of CECIS, by the Department for Emergency Situations and General Inspectorate for Emergency Situations.

The flight is executed following the request of the Department for Emergency Situations, as part of the efforts made to combat the COVID-19 pandemics, while the mission is conducted though the EU Civil Protection Mechanism.

The distribution of the monoclonal antibodies doses from the 90th Comandor aviator Gheorghe Banciulescu Air Base will be made with means of transportation belonging to the General Inspectorate for Emergency Situations, Ministry of Internal Affairs.

There will be press statements made at the arrival of the aircraft, around 21.00. The journalists willing to attend the activity will be expected between 20.15 and 20.45, at the 90th Air Base Headquarters (1st Zborului Street, Otopeni). Point of contact: Commander Mihai Albu, tel. 0722.734.412.

The activity will be conducted by respecting of the legal provisions regarding the prevention and combat of the COVID-19 pandemics' effects.

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The monoclonal antibodies are laboratory made proteins which mimic the ability of the immune system to fight the new coronavirus. They are directed against the surface viral Spike protein and block the virus ability to attach to the human cells.

The Press Office