Covid-19: Bulgaria extends anti-epidemic measures

Bulgaria’s caretaker Minister of Health, Assen Medjidiev, issued an order introducing temporary anti-epidemic measures starting from today, 6 October until 12 October.

• All persons, when in medical institutions, specialised institutions for the provision of social services and care homes for children and adults, are obliged to wear a disposable or reusable protective face mask. An exception to the requirement to wear a protective face mask is allowed for children up to 6 years of age.

• All persons not of the same family/household when in open public places where there is a crowd of people must observe physical distance of 1,5 m.

• Employers should arrange regular airing of premises and disinfection, keeping persons with acute respiratory diseases away from work places. Where possible and at their discretion, employers should organise a form of teleworking (work from home) and/or variable working hours or shift work. The same applies to the management of higher education institutions.

• All individuals and legal entities that own or manage public, commercial or other establishments providing services to the public shall, in addition to the measures referred to in point 3, apply the following anti-epidemic measures:

(a) organise their activities in such a way as to ensure the observance of distance of at least 1,5 m between persons to whom the relevant services are provided in the premises and adjacent outdoor areas;

(b) provide hand sanitizer at the entrance to the establishment;

(c) prominently display information signs or otherwise inform service users of the obligation to keep a physical distance, and for establishments referred to in point 1, of the obligation to wear a protective face mask when visiting the establishment.

• Persons providing administrative and other services to citizens should use the means of information and communication technologies and, when possible provide the relevant services electronically.

• Conduct a daily screening in specialised social service institutions and care homes for children and adults for the presence of users and staff with clinical symptoms of COVID-19 and restrict such staff from work until diagnosis and clinical recovery.