The Ministry of Health will propose to the Council of Ministers to extend the epidemic situation by 4 to 6 months. The current horizon is November 30. In December we are waiting for deliveries of drugs against COVID.

This was announced by the line minister Stoycho Katsarov today, having previously reported the result of the implementation of the current measures.

According to him, this time will be enough to advance the immunization process.

Katsarov pointed out once again that there is no need for a lockdown. The reason: the epidemic situation in the country is improving.

According to Health Minister Katsarov, No Lockdown is Required in Bulgaria

The advisor to the Minister - Prof. Mira Kozhuharova, supported the statements with graphs.

"The first two weeks in some areas began to decline in the rate of growth of patients, and now the number of infected is declining and moving down from the peak," she said.

The number of tests has also increased several times.

The Ministry of Health also announced that in the beginning, in mid-December at the latest, deliveries of drugs against COVID are expected - for mild and moderate forms of the disease.

A contract is expected to be signed for Merck's Covid pill. It is antiviral, in tablet form. A 5-day course of treatment is applied, twice a day, explained Dr. Desislava Velkovska, director of the Drug Policy Directorate at the Ministry of Health. It should be started by the fifth day with a positive test and is mild to moderate. It can be used in adults and children over 12 years. It is now being discussed what the "patient's path" will be, and the ministry is about to prescribe which patients it is suitable for.

"It will be guaranteed to reach every medical institution," Velkovska said.

Separately, regular deliveries of Remdesivir continue - for the severe form. More than 180,000 vials have already been used and given to more than 20-25,000 patients.

Regarding the new drugs, however, Katsarov warned:

"These are additional possibilities - it does not mean to stop getting vaccinated or to think, this is how we will stop the disease."

He pointed out that the drugs are 50-60% effective, and "this is small compared to vaccines."

"So vaccination is a priority. It can protect us from having a hard time with the disease," the minister said.

/ClubZ