More districts in Bulgaria introduce anti-Covid measures
The district of Varna, which currently has the highest Covid-19 morbidity rate in Bulgaria, is among the latest to introduce measures to contain the spread of the disease.
The districts that have announced measures have based them largely on those prescribed in the government’s recently-adopted revised plan for responding to the pandemic, which provides for five categories, from stage 0 to stage 4.
At stage 1, the prescribed measures include returning to wearing masks in medical facilities, pharmacies and opticians, maintaining a distance of 1.5 metres in public places and places where people are crowded together, and “filtering” people at the entrances to children’s homes and social institutions to prevent the entry of those showing symptoms of Covid-19.
Districts at stage 1 that already have announced measures include Sofia, Bourgas and Yambol.
In Varna, the measures come into effect from July 21 and are to remain in place until August 31.
The measures include mandatory wearing of masks in health care facilities, as well as in pharmacies and opticians.
Physical distancing must be observed in public places where people gather, and employers must organise work in compliance with the measures.
In the Gabrovo district, where the measures will be in place from July 21 to August 21, they include mask-wearing in hospitals, pharmacies, opticians, social and health care institutions.
There must be 1.5m distancing in public places, administrative buildings to which the public have access, and commercial establishments, and disinfectant must be placed at the entrance.
Children in day care facilities and adults in social homes must be checked daily to prevent people with symptoms of Covid-19 infection or other contagious diseases from being admitted.
In the district of Haskovo, masks must be worn in medical facilities and in public transport, 1.5m distancing must be observed in public and crowded places, employers must allow staff to work from home where possible and there must be checks at the entrances to children’s and social homes.
Outgoing Health Minister Assena Serbezova, called to Parliament on July 20 for a hearing on the Covid-19 situation in Bulgaria, said that the new coronavirus infection was severe in only five per cent of patients admitted to hospital.
Four per cent of hospital beds were occupied, Serbezova said.
Should Covid-19 morbidity reach high levels and there was a continuous increase in the number of hospital beds that were occupied, it was possible other anti-epidemic measures provided for in the national plan would be introduced, she said.
(Archive photo: US Air Force)
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