After Security Council meeting: New measures against the coronavirus

The Security Council held an extraordinary meeting in the morning on March 11 to discuss the situation with the coronavirus. The peak of the infection is expected to be in September. Measures have been identified for areas with confirmed cases and for those which are not yet affected by the virus.

According to information of the Prime Minister Boyko Borissov, who discussed the topic with all European leaders in a videoconference late in the afternoon yesterday, in the most pessimistic scenario, 3 million will be infected by coronavirus compared to about 40 million of influenza type B.

However, the situation in Bulgaria remains not very good. Five measures were identified for locations where no coronavirus was confirmed and 8 measures for areas with coronavirus. Professor Mutafchiyski announced the measures to the media immediately after the meeting.

Dozens of establishments and classes will be held under enhanced hygiene measures and students will be briefed on how to observe personal hygiene.

Indoor events for more than 250 people are prohibited. The requirement of a minimum of 1 metre distance is introduced for cinemas, theatress and other public establishments.

Indoor sports events for more than 250 people are also prohibited. Participants from high-risk countries who will come to Bulgaria for various qualifications will have to be quarantined for 14 days.

Major General Prof. Ventsislav Mutafchiyski, Head of the coronavirus task force, said that children with flu-like symptoms should not be allowed at schools. If students come from a family which was in contact with infected person, the students should not attend school. In the event of a teacher with coronavirus, the school should be closed for 14 days.

Boyko Borissov, Prime Minister: The forecasts are that the peak of the coronavirus will be in September. Hopefully the higher temperatures would influence it, but according to the big institutes the temperatures will not affect it. So the measures you see even seem not so strict compared to what other countries are introducing, but we were the first to introduce them. Because a long period is expected, and in that period, if we kill production, the recovery afterwards will be impossible.