Bulgaria is exiting from the third wave of Covid-19 pandemic, this country’s outgoing Minister of Health Professor KostadinAngelov announced at the regular weekly briefing on the spread of the Coronavirus infection. “Common sense, our experts’ intelligence and discipline has dictated our actions at all times”, said Minister Angelov and voiced confidence that Bulgaria will soon serve as an example with the results it has achieved.

Currently, no Bulgarian districts are Covid-19 red zones. There are 460 Covid-19 cases per 100,000 people on average, while the rate of coronavirus deaths is 23 per 100,000, announced this country’s Chief State Health Inspector Associate Professor Angel Kunchev. Bulgaria ranks 14^th in the European Union in terms of the fourteen-day morbidity rate and 2^nd in terms of the 14-day mortality rate. We are also witnessing a downward trend in terms of the number of Covid-19 hospitalizations and Covid-19 deaths, said Angel Kunchev.

We must maintain the vaccination rate and observe the anti-epidemic measures until we achieve herd immunity in August at the latest, in order to maintain the positive trend, noted Professor Angelov. “Today it will become clear whether Bulgaria will allow the use of the Janssen Covid-19 vaccine and whether this country will launch the fifth phase of the vaccination concerning vulnerable groups”, added Kostadin Angelov.

“We must continue to stay alert, despite the positive trends”, warned the Head of the National Operational Headquarters Professor Ventsislav Mutafchiyski. In his words, the number of Covid-19 hospitalizations may increase again after Easter. That is why Professor Mutafchiyski called on Bulgarians to observe the anti-epidemic measures during the forthcoming holidays. Moreover, there is no guarantee that the Covid-19 morbidity rate will fall during the summer.

By the end of the week Bulgaria’s authorities are to decide what measures should be taken for the forthcoming Easter holidays. This country is yet to make a decision whether arrivals will be required to present a vaccine certificate, a document indicating that visitors have had Covid-19 in the past 6 months, or a negative testresult for coronavirus.

The health authorities recommend that Bulgaria extend the anti-epidemic situation for another month until the end of May. This country’s Chief State Health Inspector has already submitted a report with this proposal. “A future government will be able to change this decision”, specified Bulgaria’s outgoing Minister of Health KostadinAngelov.

English version: KostadinAtanasov