Health authorities call for extending measures after New Year's holidays

The antigen tests will be made free of charge once they become equated to PCR tests, said Health Minister Prof. Kostadin Angelov at the briefing. The Bulgarian Medical Association (BMA) supports the idea of ​​equating the tests, because it is extremely important for the identification and isolation of patients, Angelov said. The chairman of the BMA, Dr. Ivan Madzharov, added that they had agreed with the authorities that a member of the association would enter the National Operations Headquarters for the coronavirus. "We will insist on not easing the anti-epidemic measures before the holidays, because we do not see a reduction in the number of patients in hospitals. The repeal of the measures would lead to a difficult situation in the healthcare system," Madzharov said. Anti-epidemic measures must be extended by at least one week after the New Year holidays, said the manager of the National Health Insurance Fund, Prof. Petko Salchev, at the press briefing of the Bulgarian health authorities today. "Not as a manager of the Fund, but as a professor of medicine, I support what the health minister proposes for extending the measures by at least a week after the New Year holidays. Then there are other holidays which will also coincide with a reopening. Let's not burden the system," Salchev added.

Opinions for gradual easing of measures after December 21 prevail in government

"There is some curbing of the number of deaths, but the situation is too frail for lifting the measures.” This was what Minister of Social Affairs Denitsa Sacheva has told Nova TV. She added that the opinion of most cabinet members was for gradual easing of measures and not for full opening after December 21. Decision will be made no later than Thursday. Minister Sacheva announced that she herself will be vaccinated against Covid-19. She had hesitations about these vaccines, but after learning the facts, she changed her mind.

Chief Health Inspector: 4.8% drop in pandemic registered in past 14 days

If the epidemic measures are lifted, the hospitals will be dramatically full in mid-January, Bulgaria's Chief State Health Inspector Angel Kunchev said during the webinar entitled "Mass immunizations - the key to overcoming the Covid-19 pandemic and preventing dangerous infectious diseases," BTA reported. Bulgaria is again first in terms of mortality from Covid-19 in Europe, Kunchev said. We have the first signs of retention and a slight decline in morbidity, which we can quickly waste if we do not make the right decisions. In the last 14 days there has been a decrease of 4.8% in the rate of the infection. If the indicators of the antigen tests are equated to the results of the PCR tests, the data will show increased morbidity, Kunchev added.

First off-site Covid-19 vaccination center now ready

"I insist that anti-epidemic measures remain strong enough to ensure a reduction in pressure on the healthcare system, effective control of the infection and more healthy Bulgarians," Minister of Health Kostadin Angelov said at a briefing in Sofia. Today he checked on the spot the organization of work in the first off-site vaccination center in this country against Covid-19 and said that it was at a high level. The Minister pointed out that his office would assist in providing citizens with all the information about vaccines. There are vaccines that are placed once, as well as ones that will be placed twice, he said. At a meeting with the Minister today, GPs said that data on the vaccination of citizens should be included into a common information system.

Bulgarian authorities plan anti-epidemic measures for forthcoming elections

We are working on the options for measures to maximize the safe conducting of the forthcoming parliamentary elections in Bulgaria. This was announced by the Minister of Health Kostadin Angelov after a meeting with Deputy Prime Minister Tomislav Donchev and the Health Control Directorate of the Ministry of Health. Angelov pointed out that the main task will be to hold the elections within the specified period in conditions that are safe for both the voters and the members of the election commissions, FOCUS agency reports. One week ago, the Bulgarian head of state Rumen Radev said that the parliamentary elections should be held on March 28, 2021.

WHO in Bulgaria: Trust in government’s messages declines

Beliefs in conspiracy theories about the spread of Covid-19 have grown significantly in Bulgaria since July. They are most popular among the elderly population. At the same time, the percentage of those who say they will not be vaccinated has decreased from 37 to 35 since September. This is seen in the results of the third poll of the WHO Office in Bulgaria, which trace the population's view of the pandemic. It also shows that trust in the government has been declining together with the trust in its messages.

39.5% of tests return positive result for Covid-19

The new cases of coronavirus infection established in Bulgaria in the past 24 hours are 2095. This is 39.54% of 5298 PCR tests performed. Most of the newly infected are in the capital city of Sofia – 312, followed by Plovdiv - 273, Varna - 156, and Stara Zagora - 152 new cases. This is seen in updated data of the Single Coronavirus Information Portal at midnight. 7045 patients with coronavirus are in hospitals, 580 of them are in intensive care wards. 150 people with Covid-19 passed away for a day and 1858 recovered. The official number of active cases is 90,128.

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Compiled by: Yoan Kolev