Caretaker Health Minister Stoycho Katsarov made the first reshuffle in the health ministry. He replaced the CEO of the medical supervision executive agency. Until now, it was headed by Dr. Georgi Deyanov, and now Dr. Georgi Hristov assumed this office.

Meanwhile, the ministry suspended public procurement for state hospitals. According to Deputy Minister Dimitar Petrov all spending for 2020 is being audited.

"We are checking how efficiently the money is spent. This is a temporary measure. In view of the financial situation, we are forced to act within the limits we currently have. This compels us to look for additional reserves," Dr. Katsarov said.

The caretaker minister also commented on the lower Covid-19 morbidity rate registered in recent days.

"The truth is that each epidemic wave has a certain duration. The first and second have the same duration.  The restrictive measures may not affect it. The warming factor which leads to a decrease is essential, but the danger has not passed.

It is not as a result of the measures rather of the natural course of the infection spread. And if people don't want to get vaccinated, there will be a third wave. The measures are not all that effective – they do have an effect, but it is insignificant," the health minister said.

The extension of the emergency epidemic situation

"Besides medical reasons, there are others - the government has pegged all Covid-secure measures to this epidemic situation, border control can also be executed only under this situation. We are forced to extend this emergency situation," the health minister explained.

As for the vaccination certificates, they will be re-issued to those who already have ones in a new format. That's about 400-500 thousand certificates, within a few days they will be reissued and then the new document will be issued. There is a very long grace period in which the old ones will apply, which means there will be no long lines for reissue", assured minister Katsarov.

Commenting on the vaccines that will valid for the certificates, he pointed out that Bulgaria recognizes a very wide range – all vaccines authorized in the EU. This certificate will be valid for six months for those who have had the disease, for those vaccinated there is no deadline for now.

Minister Katsarov called for further vaccine rollout, especially for the elderly.

"Get vaccinated so we can get rid of masks and other restrictions. I appeal to the elderly: take advantage of the opportunity, there are mobile vaccination teams. Even foreigners come and ask to vaccinate them, and our compatriots have a wrong attitude to this process," he said.

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