The anti-epidemic measures put in place in Bulgaria on November 27 will continue in effect unchanged until the scheduled expiry date of December 21, it was decided at a December 12 meeting between Prime Minister Boiko Borissov and senior officials.
Borissov told the meeting, which was attended by Cabinet ministers, the national operational HQ against Covid-19, the vaccination headquarters and Sofia mayor Yordanka Fandukova, that the current measures were working “and we will implement them this week as well”.
He said that even after December 21, it was important to maintain a balance, for “our society to continue to act reasonably and responsibly, so as not to increase the pressure on hospitals again, not to lose the effect of restrictions during the three weeks and for health care to be paramount”.
Borissov asked to be presented with a detailed report on December 17, on the basis of which a decision would be made about what would happen after December 21.
This was so that the public could be informed in good time about the decision, he said.
According to Borissov, experts said that the most optimistic scenario was that the situation would improve in May and economic growth would recover in October.
Health Minister Kostadin Angelov said that at this stage, his ministry did not recommend easing the measures in effect in Bulgaria. “By Thursday, we will analyse the data again,” he said.
Angelov said that the measures had produced a result in terms of cases not increasing.
At the same time, in terms of 14-day morbidity, Bulgaria continues to be in 14th place, with the morbidity rate falling below 600 per 100 000 people, he said.
According to Angelov, the number of patients discharged from medical establishments was increasing but the number in intensive care tended to remain largely the same.
National operational headquarters chief Major-General Ventsislav Mutafchiyski said that the trends were still fragile and there was no clear horizon for the situation worldwide being brought under control.
Sofia mayor Fandukova also expressed the opinion that the measures should remain unchanged next week.
“If the situation allows it in the future, we are ready to ease the measures, starting with the opening of kindergartens,” she said.
Education Minister Krassimir Vulchev cited a study according to which after the second week of distance learning, the motivation to learn drops sharply.
The lack of direct interaction with teachers had a negative effect on children, he said.
(Photo: government.bg)
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