October 20 (BTA) - The first delivery of monoclonal
antibodies, to be used for treatment of COVID-19, is expected in
 Bulgaria by the end of October, now that the Council of
Ministers has adopted a decision on the purchase of 3,000 doses
of this medicinal product, Health Minister Stoycho Katsarov told
 journalists on Wednesday.

Katsarov has issued an express order allowing the use of the
preparation because it has not been granted marketing
authorization in Bulgaria and its authorizing in the EU is still
 in progress.

So far, the only medicine administered for coronavirus therapy
in this country has been remdesivir.

Approached for reaction to food service establishments'
criticism of the new restrictions that will go into effect on
October 21, the Health Minister said that the protest led by
Bulgarian Association of Catering Establishments (BACE)
President Richard Alibegov is rather politically motivated. "The
 measures we have applied to restaurants were proposed by him
personally, in writing to the Ministry of Tourism and me,"
Katsarov said.

He explained that after a thoroughgoing discussion it was
decided to exempt the administration from access limited to
Green Certificate holders because administrative services, just
as public transport, are essential and must be available to
everybody without restriction. RY/LG

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