Full lockdown in Bulgaria if COVID control measures do not work in 10-15 days

The plan has already been discussed between the Minister of Health and the European Commissioner for Health

SOFIA: The European Commission has proposed that Bulgaria can transport COVID-19 patients to other countries if necessary. This plan has already been discussed between the Minister of Health Stoycho Katsarov and the European Commissioner for Health.

“The worst-case scenario for our country is to deplete the capacity of hospitals and they will not be able to accept patients,” Minister Katsarov told Awake. According to him, the current wave should be controlled in 10-15 days. “In 10-15 days we will have a big problem. Yesterday we had a meeting with the directors of the hospitals in Sofia, they are constantly opening new beds, but the capacity both as people and as respirators is almost exhausted,” explained Dr Katsarov.

There were no respirators in the State Reserve either. Promises that we will receive such came from the World Bank.

“I also talked to the health commissioner the other day, who proposed this emergency response plan. If we get there, we can transport patients for treatment in other countries,” Katsarov said.

“I do not want to scare people, but the situation is extremely serious and this has forced us to resort to such measures, which are clearly not popular,” said Dr Katsarov. If the measures are boycotted by the people, they will not work, the minister added.

“If the measures do not work for the next 10-15 days, the only alternative to the measures is a complete lockdown,” said Minister Katsarov. If the measures work, children in grades 1 to 4 will return to school first. “This is the first thing that will happen,” the minister promised.

He also commented on the controversial issue of why restaurants work and children do not go to school.

“Yes, it’s a paradox. But with one significant difference. When entering a restaurant with a document, where everyone in this place has such a document - this is already a safe environment, such requirements have not been introduced in schools,” explained Minister Katsarov.

“The plan enrolls up to 500 per 100,000 patients, we have increased this limit to 750 per 100,000. Now in Sofia, it passes 900 per 100,000, so this opportunity to visit in an organized manner is not possible. There is a lot of resistance from parents to test their children, and that’s also something you can’t ignore. The question was asked about tests through the nose, I said that while I am a minister, I will not allow small children to be confused in their noses by anyone. We are now discussing other options for gentle tests for children, we are discussing them with parents, the Ministry of Education. If we agree on such an approach, I am ready to introduce such an approach and return the children,” said the Minister.