“There will be a second wave of Covid-19, especially when the season of other viral infections comes later this winter”, Academician Bogdan Petrunov said in an interview for BNT. In his words, another peak of coronavirus infection is inevitable. The immunologist also pointed out that the anti-epidemic measures adopted in Bulgaria are among the softest in Europe.

 “Undoubtedly, BCG vaccine helps in this situation and the study in the Netherlands proved it”, Academician Bogdan Petrunov added. In his view, masks and helmets cannot protect us from the virus, but it is important to wear them, because they reduce viral load in patients. The new school year in Bulgaria should pass normally due to the anti-epidemic measures that have been adopted in schools, Bogdan Petrunov said. However, he did not rule out the possibility of closing some classes due to Covid-19 infection.

155 new cases of Covid-19 have been confirmed in Bulgaria in the past 24 hours out of 4,312 PCR tests performed. 3.6% of all PCR tests performed returned positive, data of the Single Coronavirus Information Portal show.

7 patients with Covid-19 have died and 127 people have recovered from the virus in the past 24 hours. The highest number of new infections has been reported in Sofia-27, followed by Blagoevgrad with 26, Plovdiv with 19, Varna, Stara Zagora and Yambol with 10 each. 

The number of active cases stands at 4,423. The total number of Covid-19 cases since the beginning of the pandemic rose to 18,216. The total death toll reached 736 people.

Just over 2.1 million pensioners in Bulgaria will receive a supplement of BGN 50 (about EUR 26) to their pensions for October. The additional amount will be paid to all pensioners, regardless of the amount of their pensions. 

The payment of the allowance is part of the government's social and economic measures for overcoming the effects of the pandemic.

Bulgarian Maria Spirova lives in Oxford, is an editor at a London-based publishing house and is one of Brexit's popular commentators. She is among 18,000 volunteers injected under the Covid-19 vaccine clinical trial scheme. "The studies were stopped after two people had symptoms that could cause anxiety," Maria Spirova told BNR. She received her first vaccine on August 7 and said that she had a fever for two days immediately after the injection. Maria Spirova said she decided to volunteer for the vaccine trial because she saw the "world stop" after the pandemic was announced.

26 students from 11th grade of the Mathematical High School in Ruse switched to distance learning on the very first day of school, reports the correspondent of the Bulgarian National Radio in Ruse Asya Pencheva. After the celebration for the first day of school, one of the students of the Mathematical High School in Ruse felt unwell and did a PCR test for coronavirus, which turned out to be positive.

For a period of two weeks as of today, September 16, stricter measures have been introduced in the Greek region of Attica due to the aggravated epidemiological situation there. Wearing masks is now mandatory also outdoors. The police massively check and fine with 150 euros for violation, BNR correspondent Katya Peeva reports. The requirement applies to all open places where people gather - squares, parks, queues in front of shops and banks. All employees in public and private companies need to wear masks throughout the working day. It is highly recommended that people over the age of 65 wear masks everywhere, Greek doctors recommend.

Compiled by Gergana Mancheva