Sofia introduces local Covid-19 restrictions

Starting March 12 until March 26, all students from 5th to 12th grade in Bulgaria’s capital Sofia are to switch over to distance learning. In-person classes in universities will be suspended, too. Extracurricular activities will be held online. All restaurants and catering establishments will be open until 22.00 pm, BTA reports, referring to information of the Sofia Operational Headquarters. The authorities recommend that employers organize conditions for remote work or work shifts where possible. Organized excursions, festivals and fairs, as well as outdoor gatherings of a large number of people will be prohibited. Sofia has crossed the threshold of 500 new cases of Covid-19 per 100,000 people. The average age of people with Covid-19 infection fell to 51 years, Sofia Mayor Yordanka Fandakova said.

Malls and gyms in Burgas close on Friday

In Burgas, malls and fitness centers will be closed on Friday and students from 5th to 12th grade will switch to online training for 2 weeks. Wearing masks outdoors is mandatory; mass outdoor and indoor events are limited. Restaurants will work until 10 pm, Minister of Health Kostadin Angelov said after a meeting of the Municipal Crisis Staff. The minister added that there would be no quarantine for those arriving from Zanzibar.

More than 6,000 Covid-19 patients are in hospital

Bulgaria registered a total of 3,502 new Covid-19 cases in the past day, 76 of which are among medical staff. According to the Unified Information Portal, over 20% of the 17,193 tests made, returned positive result. Currently, there are 6,000 patients in hospital as 497 of them are in intensive care wards. A total of 3,403 patients recovered during the day and 138 people passed away. The highest number of new infections was registered in Sofia - 882, Burgas - 441, Varna - 272 and Plovdiv – 217. The vaccinations carried out during the past day were 8,019. A total of 302,151 people in Bulgaria have already got their vaccine. Those who have received a second dose of vaccine are 51,644.

Vulnerable groups in Bulgaria to receive Covid-19 vaccine by May

The situation in Bulgaria will return to normal when the district coronavirus headquarters adopt additional anti-epidemic measures in Covid-19 red zones with high morbidity rates, Bulgaria’s Prime Minister Boyko Borissov said at the regular cabinet sitting, BTA has reported. PM Borissov expressed concerns that the new coronavirus strains lead to higher incidence and affect younger people. In a month, the most vulnerable groups will be vaccinated, Borissov added.

Number of Bulgarians willing to get vaccinated rises

The number of people who want to get Covid-19 vaccines has increased, a survey of Gallup International Balkan conducted between February 22 and March 1 shows. In January, 27% of the adults voiced willingness to get vaccinated and 48% of the respondents said they did not want a Covid-19 vaccine. According to the latest survey, 36% of the respondents are willing to receive Covid-19 jabs and 41% are of the opposite opinion. The number of undecided respondents fell from 24% to 20%. About 3% of the respondents said that they were already inoculated against the novel coronavirus. According to Gallup, at least 1.5 million Bulgarians out of a maximum of 5.2 million Bulgarians residing in this country have already had Covid-19.

Compiled by: Vesela Krasteva

English: Radio Bulgaria English Service

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