Coronavirus: Schools, kindergartens, closed indefinitely in two districts in Bulgaria

Education Minister Krassimir Valchev issued an order on March 8 closing schools, kindergartens and higher education institutions in the districts of Pleven and Gabrovo until further notice.

The order was issued in response to confirmation earlier in the day of two cases of Covid-19 in Pleven and two in Gabrovo.

All education institutions in these two districts would remain closed until health authorities recommended otherwise, a statement by the Ministry of Education said.

Currently, all schools in Bulgaria are closed until March 11 inclusive following the declaration on March 5 of a national Type B influenza epidemic.

Valchev said that in the event of a further cancellation of classes, schools should come up with plans for rearranging lesson plans and providing distance learning opportunities when needed.

The Education Minister said that from March 8, and including after the end of the “flu vacation”, all school excursions and visits to sites other than school premises were banned throughout the country.

Planned inter-school competitions and olympiads were also postponed, he said.

Parents of children who do not attend kindergarten would not be required to provide an explanatory note for the duration of the declaration.

All kindergartens must check children arriving and bar admission to children who are ill or who have not recuperated, the Education Ministry statement said.

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The Sofia Globe staff

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