Health minister issues order to partially cancel Covid-19 anti-epidemic measures

Today, May 3, Health Minister Kiril Ananiev issued an order allowing visits to outdoor shopping areas (gardens, terraces, etc.) of restaurants, fast food establishments, drinking establishments and coffee shops, subject to the following anti-epidemic measures:

(a) positioning the tables in a way to ensure a distance of not less than 2,5 metres between them and no more than four persons per table or family;

(b) the staff must have a face mask on;

(c) the staff is required to clean and disinfect the surfaces of the tables and chairs after each visitor;

d) to put disinfectant dispensers in prominent places for use by clients.

With the order of the Executive Director of the Bulgarian Food Safety Agency (BFSA), in coordination with the Minister of Health, he is assigned, by 05.05.2020, to determine other requirements and organization of work of these sites.

Another item of the order is related to the conduct of trainings by driver training centres for the acquisition of driving licenses; training centres providing training for drivers of vehicles for the transport of dangerous goods and /or training courses for safety consultants; training centres providing training courses for drivers to acquire initial qualifications and to improve their knowledge (recurrent training); persons who carry out initial and recurrent training of technical specialists at the roadworthiness test points of road vehicles; colleges providing initial and recurrent training for trainers; training centres providing special and additional training to seafarers; training centres providing training in civil aviation; centres for vocational training and qualification in rail transport.

The training organizers are obliged to ensure compliance with the social distance measure and all anti-epidemic measures, including: wearing face masks and disinfection of vehicles and other equipment.

The order of the Minister of Health also permits individual outdoor sports, including tennis, cycling, athletics, golf, etc., while maintaining a distance of at least 2.5 metres between the individuals.

Visits to some swimming complexes and swimming pools are also allowed, without allowing the functioning of the adjacent commercial sites, subject to the following anti-epidemic measures:

a) placing a mandatory filter at the entrance, all body temperature being measured. Persons with high body temperature will not be allowed;

(b) providing conditions for a distance of 2,5 metres between those waiting to enter;

c) the treatment and disinfection of the water in the swimming pool should be carried out in such a way as to maintain the residual free chlorine in the water to the level of 0.4-0.5 mg/l;

(d) the toilets, changing rooms, waste containers, common areas, appliances, premises and other facilities should be cleaned and disinfected at least every hour;

e) providing disinfectant dispensers, liquid soap and disposable towels for use by visitors;

(f) the staff should use face masks and gloves;

g) disinfection after every visitor of the used equipment (umbrellas, sun beds, chairs, wardrobes, etc.);

h) setting up an organization to prevent many people from gathering together in common areas (changing rooms and toilets);

(i) the distance between the deck chairs of two umbrellas in the open air area around the pools shall be at least 4 metres, and when one umbrella is used by more than two members of the same family, at least 8 metres; one umbrella to be used by no more than two persons or family members;

k) preventing the operation of water attractions, including those for children.

The order comes into force as of May 4, except point 1 which comes into force on May 6.