Bulgaria Tightens COVID Restrictions

As the next wave of the COVID-19 pandemic hits Bulgaria, the government has had to impose tighter restrictions. On Tuesday, the country saw 120 coronavirus deaths and is registering 2000 new cases daily.

Restaurants and cafes in Bulgaria are being forced to close by 11pm, their tables limited to six people. Nightclubs have been shut, while cinemas and theaters are limited to half capacity. Outdoors sports arenas are limited to 30% capacity. Entering the country is also being restricted, a move which had an immediate impact on late-season tourism and prices.

Bulgaria’s largely failed inoculation campaign now risks putting the country’s ailing health care system under serious strain. Only 20% of adults in Bulgaria, which has a population of 7 million, have so far been fully vaccinated. For vaccination rates, that puts it last in the EU, whose average stands at 69% of the population being fully vaccinated.