Bulgaria’s Health Minister proposes tightening of Covid-19 restrictions - suspension of attendance at universities, schools, restaurants, bars, shopping malls

Bulgaria cannot afford to lose lives of patients and doctors. With this main motive, Bulgaria’s Minister of Health Kostadin Angelov on November 23 proposed new strict and restrictive measures.

He suggested that the Council of Ministers vote and extend the state of epidemic emergency until March.

If approved, the new measures will come into effect on Friday, November 28.

There is no system that can withstand, our doctors and nurses will not be able to withstand. I am ready to take any responsibility and risk, said Kostadin Angelov.

The promise is for the easing of measures at Christmas - if there are results. The aim is, as the Minister of Health put it, to allow a breath of fresh air for the system.

The proposed measures include:

1.Extension of the state of epidemic emergency by 4 months until the end of March 2021..

2. Suspension of attendance at universities, schools, kindergartens and nurseries.

3. Suspension of all group sport events, congresses, seminars, competitions, including privately organised celebrations.

4. Continuation of the ban on visits to discos, piano bars and nightclubs.

5. Suspension of the work of the food and entertainment establishments - restaurants, fast food establishments, entertainment and game halls, drinking establishments, cafes, confectioneries, bars and others. They can only work for home deliveries.

6. Suspension of all non-food stores, including shopping centers and malls, with the exception of pharmacies, drugstores, postal service providers, banks, insurers, payment service providers.

7. The organization and conducting of internal and external excursions is suspended. There are no restrictions on the activity of public transport.

"We do not impose a lockdown, we believe that together we will impose it. It is time to reunite in the name of life. Even if we think differently, even if we are afraid of our income, we must make this effort to save thousands of our compatriots. "Because only the living and the healthy can lead a country out of a crisis, no matter what the crisis is." he added.

If the measures work, every effort will be made for Christmas to consider easing the measures. The result is expected in 21 days.

"I want to the healthcare system to have at least a month so that the infection rate can be reduced," Angelov said.

First results are expected on the eighth day after the introduction of the measures.

And more:

- The seniors only shopping hours for the elderly will be changed.

- There will be no intercity travel checkpoints because there is no cluster spread of the disease.

The incidence worldwide is already exceeding 250 per 100,000 people, said at the beginning of the briefing the Chief State Health Inspector Assoc. Prof. Angel Kunchev.

There are more than 2,000 medical professionals in Bulgaria who have tested positive for the virus, 30% of whom are doctors and 32% are nurses, said the head of Pirogov emergency hospital, Prof. Asen Baltov. Colleagues have not left the wards for a month, said the head of the Alexandrovska Hospital, Prof. Boris Bogov. He called on medical students to join the COVID wards.

The briefing was also attended by Major General Professor Dr. Ventzislav Mutafchiiski, Director of the Military Medical Academy.

Earlier today, Prime Minister Boyko Borissov held a working meeting with members of the national task force against the coronavirus. The Minister of Health reported on the situation of the COVID-19 pandemic in Bulgaria. The specific parameters regarding morbidity and mortality in the country were discussed. An overview of the workload of the hospitals in the country was made.

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