Bulgaria's caretaker Prime Minister: Covid-19 surge seems to be plateauing

In an edition of the feature "Power Speaks! Openly”, which the Council of Ministers launched on Facebook, caretaker Prime Minister, Stefan Yanev, on October 29, answered questions from members of the public and the media.

He pointed out that all the government's efforts are aimed at preventing a complete lockdown in the country due to the Covid-19 pandemic. Here are some of the highlights that Prime Minister Yanev pointed out in his interview:

"The efforts of the caretaker cabinet are focused to protect people's lives and health by creating conditions, increasing the capacity and capabilities of the healthcare system so that it can respond to the current health crisis, precisely because of the increased morbidity rate."

"The measures were not overly strict, so that the business could work, the economy could work, people could be relatively calm and relatively able to have a normal life."

"That is why the latest measures, which introduced the green certificate are in fact a set of measures aimed at increasing the testing of people, in an attempt to find the so-called "hidden morbidity”, with a much larger volume of tests, many more people being tested, further restricting access to public places where the infection can be transmitted."

"The good news is that since the latest measures have been taken, we have a much larger number of people who are tested on a daily basis, 50,000 - 60,000. This gives a much better idea of ​​how the disease is spreading and appropriate measures may be taken accordingly."

"Elections are a constitutional right of Bulgarian citizens and they will be held as planned. There can be no food for thought in this regard."

Yanev pointed out that the cabinet is working to avoid a complete lockdown and that, according to him, the data after the introduction of stricter measures show that the peak of morbidity seems to be plateauing.

He also pointed out that the elections will be held normally. He acknowledged that the caretaker cabinet had not done well in communicating the measures to people and businesses and had already expressed his "self-criticism".

A working group of experts at the Ministry of Health will clarify by the middle of next week whether a certificate for people with antibodies can be issued.

The caretaker Prime Minister also announced that the offers for buying child-friendly tests for school students will be opened tomorrow. Depending on the terms and possibilities for fast delivery, most likely, at his discretion, within 10 days, it will be possible for the students to return to in-person attendance classes.

He reminded that all parents who do not want their children to be tested can leave their children for online learning at home.

For the first time, Yanev announced publicly that he had been vaccinated in May with two doses.

He again denied considering the introduction of mandatory vaccination for civil servants and those working in the state administration. If employers impose such a requirement on their employees, it is not because of a state requirement and probably, in his opinion, the Labour Inspectorate can intervene in such cases. 40% of the teachers have been vaccinated.

Within 10 days, further 60-100 beds for intensive care treatment of Covid-19 will be provided in the country.

By the end of the year, inflation rate will be 4.5%. The supplement of BGN 50 per month for the pensioners will continue, which will be BGN 120 for the past three months. The energy assistance of BGN 530 per month to help low-income households with heating costs have also been distributed, he added.

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