Mass testing of teachers for Covid-19 started in Bulgaria

Mass testing of teachers and non-teaching staff for Covid-19 started on January 25. The aim is to find the hidden morbidity among the teachers, before the resumption of in-person classes for students from 5th to 12th grades from February 4. All schools already have the necessary number of rapid antigen tests, which are provided by the Regional Health Inspectorates.

The mass testing of the staff working in the area of education is voluntary and free of charge.

According to the Bulgarian Teachers' Union, about 60% of teachers and non-teaching staff in the country are ready to take an antigen test to find out what their health status is and whether they have had Covid -19.

The testing itself will be carried out at the schools and for this purpose the representatives of the medical staff have undergone special training.

Among the areas where there is the greatest willingness for testing is Blagoevgrad, where about 70% of the teachers and non-teaching staff will be tested.

Over 80% of the employees in the Fifth School in Blagoevgrad said they wanted to take a test. The first 15 people will do it today.

We have the tests, we have trained medical specialists, we have the desire in most of the pedagogical and non-pedagogical staff. By Tuesday, Wednesday we expect the results regarding the health status of all people who directly or indirectly participate in the educational process in the Blagoevgrad region, said Ivaylo Zlatanov - Head of the Regional Department of Education - Blagoevgrad.

Only 30% of the teachers in Bourgas voiced willingness to be tested with antigen tests.

In Bulgaria’s second largest city of Plovdiv, 78% of the teachers have been tested.

The results are very encouraging. because of all 2,220 teachers, only four of them tested positive, said Donka Sthilyanova, head of the education department in Plovdiv municipality.

In the event a teacher tests positive for coronavirus, the whole class is quarantined.

Mass testing for coronavirus is also going to take place for the staff in the kindergartens.