It seems like a nice idea to visit Bulgaria this summer. It’s a great touristic area (somehow underrated but still wonderful), and it’s easy to reach. But how about COVID-19 there? What measures should you take to be allowed in and not to get infected? In fact, the two problems have the same solution, and here is more about it.
The Most Official: Health Minister Speaking
Given how important tourism is for Bulgaria, the authorities pay it as much attention as possible. As Kostadin Angelov, the Health Minister of Bulgaria, officially confirmed in April, tourists entering Bulgaria need to comply with one of these three conditions:
- They have been vaccinated with some recognized vaccine and have a document
- They have been tested and proven COVID-19 negative by the moment they enter
- They have been ill and recovered not earlier than 6 months ago, still retaining natural immunity
While option 3 is not a matter of choice, and option 2 does not grant your health while staying there, you better get vaccinated before entering Bulgaria in summer 2021. Great for you if you have already got your shots.
No, you cannot take the test right at the airport after arrival. To get there, you should have your test results already prepared.
What Vaccines Are Recognized in Bulgaria?
So far, four vaccines are recognized in Bulgaria and approved for vaccinating its citizens: Oxford/AstraZeneca, Pfizer/BioNTech, Moderna, and Johnson & Johnson. If you have got your shots with any of these, you may enter with no problem at all.
As for other vaccines, none of them is under clinical trials in Bulgaria, but this does not mean they don’t get you in. If you happened to get your shots of Sinovac, Sinopharm, or Sputnik-V, you are good and ready to enter the country, though they are not authorized for vaccinating Bulgarian citizens.
What’s the Epidemiologic Situation in Bulgaria?
After the spring peak, the contagion abruptly declines – probably due to both vaccination and strict entrance limitations. While it was normal in April for about 3,000 people to get ill on a single day, in May, numbers declined severely. On May 21, for example, there were only 362 new cases, and on May 22 only 148. The decline continues: on May 23, only 81 new cases were registered. Though rates slightly grew after that, the overall numbers are still minor, next to what happened a month before.
So, Bulgaria is definitely one of the safest places for your vacation in summer 2021. Unless a new strain breaks in and renders the existing vaccines useless, but this seems less and less probable, according to the latest news: most of these strains remain local.
What Are the Restrictions in Bulgaria?
Despite the quarantine, most recreations are working. Still, people are obliged to wear face masks in public places and keep the social distance of 1,5 m (5 ft). Those who have contacted someone that’s tested positive are put under 10-day self-isolation. For those who tested positive, the term of self-isolation is 14 days. Fines for violating quarantine requirements are rather high, starting at about $150.
After May 31, though, many restrictions will be canceled or weakened. So it will be more fun in the streets and on the beaches, with less need to obey the strict rules. Internal travels are already unrestricted.
Good Vacation!
The summer in Bulgaria is a good idea in 2021. If you want to find some friends to accompany you there, share this article on Facebook or Twitter and make them think about it. If you have something to add, refresh, or a question to ask, feel free to write a comment down here.
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