The Ministry of Health has announced that as of Thursday, February 24, the gradual easing of anti-epidemic measures in Bulgaria will begin.
The report of the Chief State Health Inspector proposed a three-step approach to alleviate anti-epidemic measures, according to which the requirement for a “green certificate” across the country should be abolished as of March 20, with a favorable trend in the epidemic situation.
In connection with the growing number of inquiries of Bulgarian citizens, who are about to travel to Bulgaria for the Christmas and New Year holidays, the Ministry of Health recalls the rules for entering the country.
Persons arriving from the “green zone” and the “orange zone” (countries where at the time of assessment, the 14-day morbidity is lower than 500 per 100,000 population) are admitted to the territory of the country upon presentation of an EU digital COVID certificate, a negative test, or a document similar to the digital certificate. The similar document has to contain the same data as the EU digital COVID certificate if the arrivals are from a non-EU country.
As of today (December 1), two orders of the Minister of Health Dr. Stoycho Katsarov enter into force. They are published on the website of the Ministry of Health.
The first order is extending the anti-epidemic measures from 1.12.2021 to 31.03.2022, the period in which the emergency epidemic situation was extended.
For the most part, the measures are the same as those currently in force. Teambuildings, visits to children’s centers, clubs and others, as well as holding congress-conference events, seminars, symposia, trainings, competitions, exams and other group events are prohibited. There are no mass events, such as music and other festivals, fairs, folklore initiatives and etc. Group visits to centers, schools and other sites for dance and music art have been suspended. Visits to libraries, museums, galleries, cinemas, theaters, circus performances, concerts and other indoor performances are prohibited. The ban also applies to the conduct of collective sports indoors, as well as visits to fitness centers, gyms and clubs, swimming pools and complexes, spa (medical SPA) centers, wellness centers and thalassotherapy centers. Visits to gambling halls, casinos and catering and entertainment establishments, as well as visits to shopping malls and shops with a net retail area of over 300 sqm, bazaars and indoor exhibitions have been suspended.
As of today, November 4th, all planned admission and operative activity in the medical establishments on the territory of the country will be temporarily suspended. Exceptions are allowed for activities related to transplantation of organs and cells, diagnosis and treatment of patients with oncological and onco hematological diseases, assisted reproduction activities and births, regardless of the method of delivery, rehabilitation activities, long-term treatment and psychiatric care. These measures are stated in an order of the Minister of Health Dr. Stoycho Katsarov, issued yesterday.
The aim is to reduce the pressure on the health system on one hand and on the other hand, it will be possible for unloaded wards to be restructured into COVID units and medical teams to be reassigned to serve patients with COVID-19.
Stricter anti-epidemic measures aiming to reduce the cases of COVID-19 are coming into force from Thursday. The restrictions will affect all spheres of public life, and the health authorities assure that the control will be many times stricter than the one currently in force. All activities that are carried out indoors will be allowed only for people holding the so-called “green certificate”. This document is issued when the vaccination cycle is completed by the immunization centers or the personal doctor. The second option is to present a PCR or antigen test done 48 hours earlier or a document for illness up to a year back in time.
