January 4 (BTA) - For the time being, no additional restrictions are being planned regarding the Omicron variant, said the Chief State Health Inspector Angel Kunchev as quoted by the Ministry of Health on Tuesday. The one exception is stricter control when it comes to people entering the country.

Persons arriving in Bulgaria from a "red zone" country will have to present both a COVID certificate and a negative PCR test taken within 72 hours prior arrival. Otherwise, they will be placed under a 10-day quarantine.

Minister of Health Asena Serbezova has formed a pandemic committee tasked with analyzing and coordinating the epidemic measures in the country. The committee is headed by Deputy Minister Georgi Yordanov and includes Dr Angel Kunchev and representatives of the Ministry of Health, the regional health inspectorates and emergency medical services.

On Sunday, Kunchev told reporters that Bulgaria has confirmed its first 12 cases of the Omicron COVID variant. Eleven of the cases are from the capital Sofia and one is from Sofia Region. They all have mild symptoms. The infected people range from children to pensioners. Only one of them has been abroad. Seven are not vaccinated and five are fully vaccinated. None of them has received a booster dose.

LG/NZ