site.btaBulgaria Ranks Ninth in COVID-19 Mortality in the EU, Planned Operations Said to Resume

Sofia, January 14 (BTA) - Bulgaria ranks ninth in COVID-19
mortality in the EU and 27th in morbidity, Chief State Health
Inspector Angel Kunchev told a briefing at the Council of
Ministers on Thursday. The briefing was given after a working
meeting with Prime Minister Boyko Borissov, attended by Health
Minister Kostadin Angelov, representatives of the National
Coronavirus Taskforce and the National Vaccination Headquarters.

Kunchev pointed out that the lowest incidence to date is
observed in Razgrad, Targovishte, Kardzhali, and the highest -
in Vratsa, Varna, Pleven, Ruse and Kyustendil. The trend, based
on 14 days of morbidity, is optimistic and it is important to
maintain it, he added.

Health Minister Kostadin Angelov argued that ''where information
 ends, fear begins'', explaining that one the main goals is for
Bulgarian citizens to be some of the most informed in the EU.
Minister Angelov expressed gratitude to all medics who continue
to give their best so that citizens can be informed. Minister
Angelov also thanked the media. The trust that has been built
has led to several important results, most notably there has
been an increase in the number of people willing to be
vaccinated among doctors and other citizens. The state has
provided vaccines for everyone, Angelov stressed.

The Health Minister was adamant that the issue of vaccines
should not be politicized.

Minister Angelov added that from Monday vaccination against
COVID-19 can begin including people from the second phase of the
 vaccination plan [teaching staff, social workers, residents and
 staff at elderly homes, etc.] in the areas where enough people
from the first phase [medical workers] have been vaccinated. 

It is too early to talk about a vaccination certificate, as is
the case in Greece, said Minister Angelov. I firmly believe in
the free movement of people, and when a vaccine is voluntary, it
 cannot be associated with restricting movement rights, he
added.

"The good indicators we have allow us to start planning
operations again. There are so many people waiting for them.
Now, with this data, you don't have to wait until the end of the
 month, you can issue an order and inform people about their
resumption as early as Monday or Tuesday," said Prime Minister
Borissov to Minister Angelov during the working meeting, quoted
by the press service of the Cabinet.

The Prime Minister thanked the President of the European
Commission Ursula von der Leyen for the joint distribution of
vaccines against COVID-19 among all EU Member States. Borissov
stressed that vaccination is also crucial to tackling the new
strain of the virus. NV/DT