News briefing on coronavirus in Bulgaria: In-person classes for 1st to 4th grade school students resume on January 4

The stricter measures against the spread of Covid-19, which were introduced on November 27, will remain in effect until January 31, Bulgaria’s Minister of Health, Prof. Kostadin Angelov, told the weekly briefing on December 17.

Night clubs, gaming halls, casinos, restaurants and sports halls will remain closed until January 31.

Kindergartens, nurseries and in-person classes for 1st to 4th grade school students will resume on January 4

Shopping malls will remain closed, except banks, pharmacies and offices of telecommunication companies for payment of bills in them.

The ban on conferences and congresses remains in place until January 31.

Theatres, museums, galleries and cinemas will re-open from January 1, with a requirement for use of no more than 30% of the seating capacity.

Bulgaria’s Health Minister and Task Force propose the stricter measures against Covid-19 to continue until January 31

The recoveries from Covid-19 over the past week are 18,907 and the total recoveries since the start of the epidemic are 90,510. “If you ask me if we are happy with these data – my answer is categorically “no”, the health minister said.

Bulgaria’s Covid-19 morbidity rate, over two week basis, is 438 per 100 000, which puts the country in the 14th place in the EU and 3rd place in the Balkans. In terms of Covid-19 mortality, Bulgaria is in second place in the European Union, the chief state Health Inspector, Angel Kunchev, said.

By the end of the year, we expect to have the first immunizations against COVID-19 in the country, confirmed again Assoc. Prof. Kunchev. "Preparations for immunization against COVID-19 are in full swing in all Regional Health Inspectorates. The preparation and maintenance of the refrigeration chain for receiving the vaccine continues. As the deadline for the European Medicines Agency to make its recommendations has been postponed, we expect EC to approve the distribution of the vaccine on December 23rd and the first immunizations in the country to take place before the end of the year,” he added.

The Minister of Education Krassimir Valchev, the Minister of Economy Lachezar Borisov and the Minister of Labour and Social Policy Denitsa Sacheva also took part in the briefing.

From January 4, the in-person attendance learning process will be resumed in schools for pupils from 1st to 4th grade. Kindergartens and nurseries will re-open. "The decision is based on a differentiated approach to different age groups of children. Younger children are less likely to be infected. In this sense, from an epidemiological point of view, they contribute less to complicating the situation than the older students," explained the Minister of Education Krassimir Valchev. "It is reasonable for students from 5th to 12th grade to continue the learning process in an electronic environment for at least another week," he stressed.

Under the measure for compensation for closed businesses - known as BGN 24 or 80/0 - so far there have been 4019 applications submitted by employers for compensation of 19,576 workers. The first payments have already been made for 230 employers, announced Minister Denitsa Sacheva. She stressed that payments will be made in the days before Christmas, as well as between the holidays.

The other measures - 60/40 and 80/20, for hotels, restaurants, tourism and transport will continue until March 31.

So far, the trade sector, except malls, continues to operate. Today we will meet with food chains, as well as with large chain stores, assured the Minister of Economy Lachezar Borisov.

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