All students from 1st to 12th grade will return to school from Monday, Health Minister Stoycho Katsarov assured the media.

In the morning, the experts from the Ministry of Health discussed the possibilities for providing a safe environment and the possibilities under which students can return to class.

"The experts' proposal is to test students once a week because the epidemic situation allows it, the number of infected people is constantly decreasing and the registered incidence in children under 19 is extremely low, and because the results of tests conducted in schools in the previous two weeks, show a low percentage of positive results," Katsarov said.

Testing once a week slightly increases the risk, but is a negligible increase and does not pose a serious threat to the overall situation, he said.

This applies to all children from 1st to 12th grade. Gentle tests will be provided for everyone, Katsarov is adamant.

"Although it is not our duty to buy tests for schools. We have committed ourselves to helping the MES," he said.

He reiterated that adult nasal tests can be used for older students, but this must be decided by the Ministry of Education.

The available quantities allow all children in the country to go to school on Monday with one test per week, said the Minister of Health.

Katsarov said that there are agreed amounts of tests, which, according to them, should reach at least mid-January.

The available quantities, which are currently in the warehouse of the Bulgarian Red Cross and distributed to the Ministry of Education, will arrive in two weeks. This applies to all municipalities where the incidence is over 250 per 100,000.

However, if half the class does not agree, it is a requirement for children to study online.

An amendment to the order will be issued today to reflect the news.

As of Monday, the ban on carrying out planned activities has also been lifted, said the Minister of Health and added that so far there is no data on Omicron in our country.

/BNT