Bulgaria’s PM orders temporary stop of immunisations with Astra Zeneca vaccine

Bulgaria’s Prime Minister Boyko Borissov has ordered that the immunization with the Astra Zeneca vaccine be temporarily stopped, until a written statement by the European Medicines Agency about its safety.

This became clear at a working meeting on March 12, convened by the Prime Minister, at which the Minister of Health Kostadin Angelov and the Minister of Education and Science Krassimir Valchev reported that more and more children and students get ill with Covid-19 and seek help in hospitals.

Boyko Borissov demanded that a plan be drawn up in a few days to determine the criteria with the health requirements for tourists who will visit Bulgaria in the new season.

The Prime Minister added that funds have been provided for the continuation of the government's anti-crisis 60/40, 75/0, 80/20 measures until the end of May inclusive. Until then, help is guaranteed for parents looking after children who study online.

"Until an accurate and clearly confirmed statement comes in writing from the European Medicines Agency on the Astra Zeneca vaccine, we are temporarily stopping the immunisations with that vaccine," Borissov said.

The Prime Minister reminded that the contracts with vaccine manufacturers were concluded by the European Commission and approved by the European Medicines Agency.

During the working meeting, the Minister of Health Kostadin Angelov pointed out that late last night several countries suspended the immunization with the Astra Zeneca vaccine on their territories.

The Minister of Health stated his readiness to issue an order suspending the use of the Oxford vaccine in Bulgaria until all inspections of the Bulgarian Executive Agency for Medicines and the European Medicines Agency are carried out.

The Minister of Health also reported that more than 15,000 people were vaccinated yesterday, and today the vaccination continues.

"We continue to implement the vaccination plan with the other two vaccines approved for use. We expect delivery of 21,060 doses of Pfizer vaccine on Monday, and 33,600 doses of Moderna on March 19," said Bogdan Kirilov, executive director of the Bulgarian Medicines Agency.

He added that more deliveries of vaccines are expected by the end of March. At the same time, our country is in constant communication with the European Commission to provide additional quantities of the two RNA vaccines.

Minister Kostadin Angelov emphasized the trend of increasing number of Covid-19 infections among children and young people. Angelov pointed out that a total of 56 children under the age of 18 were hospitalised wih confirmed Covid-19. Of them, 14 children are up to 1 year old; 9 are from 1 to 3 years old; 9 are from 4 to 10 years old and the remaining children are under the age of 18.

"There is no risk to the life of any of the children, but we are reporting a trend of increasing number of younger people with Covid-19 admitted to medical institutions - something that was not observed before," said the Minister of Health.

Education Minister, Krassimir Vulchev, said that data from recent days showed evidence of rising coronavirus cases in schools. As a result, the ministry recommended that students in grades 5 to 12 in 18 districts with morbidity rates above 300 per 100 000 population should return to distance learning instead of in-person attendance of classes.

Prime Minister Borissov demanded strict and constant control over the observance of anti-epidemic measures in the country, which provides an opportunity for the functioning of businesses.

“We are not afraid of responsibility. We are using the local approach not because we are afraid of making the decision at national level but because there are towns and villages where there are fewer cases and we see no point in putting everyone under a common denominator,” Borissov said.

The Prime Minister again called on Bulgarians to protect their personal health.

"Everyone sees what is happening to other countries in Europe... for months with a lockdown. In Bulgaria, the measures are as liberal as possible, but we also rely on a sense of self-protection, a sense of responsibility, democracy is a responsibility," said Borissov.

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