Today, at a meeting of Sofia Task Force Headquarters set up to control the spread of COVID-19, Mayor of the capital Yordanka Fandakova intends to propose two new measures against the spread of Covid-19:

1. All school students from 5th through 12th grade in Sofia to switch over to online learning for a period of 2 weeks (from 15 to 26 March, inclusive).

2. Reducing the opening hours of all dining and entertainment establishments, including restaurants in hotels and gaming venues, to 10 p.m. for the period from 12 to 26 March. 

I propose the introduction of the measures because of the sharp increase in the number of Covid-19 infected on the territory of Sofia Municipality. The number of people being admitted for treatment in hospitals has reached levels registered in mid-November last year, when a steep rise in hospitalisations began. More than 1,630 are hospitalized in medical institutions of Sofia to date and there are 191 people in intensive care wards.

By the order of the Health Minister, hospitals in Sofia set up additional beds for patients with coronavirus.

All parents of children who attend nurseries and kindergartens can take advantage of the opportunity to excuse their absence from work, which was allowed by the Ministry of Education at the request of the Sofia Task Force Headquarters.

The final decision of the headquarters will be made after the meeting this afternoon.