Bulgaria’s caretaker Health Minister announces new measures against Covid-19

Bulgaria’s caretaker Health Minister Stoycho Katsarov announced new measures against Covid-19.

According to the order, which takes effect on August 20, the heads of all administrations must organise flexible working hours, with the working day starting between 7.30am and 10am and sending at least 50% of the staff to work remotely.

This will significantly reduce the congestion of people in urban and intercity transport throughout the country, which will facilitate compliance with anti-epidemic measures and the implementation of effective health control, the Health Ministry said.

As of today, according to the introduced anti-epidemic measure to limit up to 50% the use of the capacity of certain places/events, it may not be applied, provided that:

- 100% of the staff in the respective site has been vaccinated

- Had been ill with COVID-19

- has a negative result from a PCR test conducted up to 72 hours before entering the site/start of the event

This must be certified by a document for vaccination, illness or test result. For this purpose, the site manager/event organizer must have made a decision and set up an organization to admit persons who have either been vaccinated or had been ill with COVID-19, or present a negative result from PCR test conducted up to 72 hours prior to entry/participation in the event.

This rule applies to numerous places and events, including restaurants, gambling halls and casinos.

It also applies for congresses and conferences, seminars, competitions, training sessions, team building, exhibitions and other in-person public events, cultural and entertainment events including festivals, cinemas, theatres and concerts, as well as spectator sports, fitness centres, sports halls and clubs, swimming pools and complexes, spa and wellness centres, children’s centres, clubs and others providing organised group services for children.

The managers of such places and organisers of events must notify the relevant regional health inspectorate of the decision taken. The regional health inspectorates must maintain a list of sites and activities so that checks can be done.