Vaccines required in Bulgaria

Hello everybody,

When living or moving abroad, and in particular in Bulgaria, vaccination against certain diseases is often required to enter the country or to avoid risks.

We would like to ask you a few questions to help future expats there.

What is your relationship to vaccines in general?

Did you get vaccinated before moving to Bulgaria?
Were these vaccinations compulsory or recommended?

Did you refuse to get any vaccine that was recommended for Bulgaria? If so, why?

If you are an expatriate in Bulgaria, are you encouraged to get a COVID-19 vaccine? Do you have access to the vaccine and do you plan to get it?

Is this vaccine required for entering the country now?

Many thanks,

Diksha,
Expat.com team

Hi, We have been given the vaccination free of charge.........and it was so easy, we just had to phone up and make an  appointment, it was very well organised and we were very impressed.  We had the Astrozenica vaccine, and we had no side effects......

Hi which location clinic. Which docs did u need?

Hi John we are in the Dobrich region of Varna, and all we had to show was our residency cards, and the blue EHIC card or proof that you pay into the health system,  they photo copied them and then gave us the vaccinations...........We went to a clinic in Dobrich on Septemvritsi Street.

Do you know if it is free if you don't have a residency card but do have an EHIC card?

My wife and I are both 75 and flew into Bg last November. Our flight from the states had to be re-routed because the original one had us going through Vancouver Canada, and the Canadians wouldn't let Americans come in (or through, even).
My wife is Bulgarian and I have a permanent resident card, so, unlike other Americans, we could return to our second home here. We had to get tested and quarantine for two weeks. The tests were negative; and so was the quarantine.
After we paid the government for my health insurance (two years worth), we got a doctor and will get our first vaccinations tomorrow! And we'll still be careful about contact--social distance, double masks, etc. And we're really looking forward to being able to go out to eat next week. We know of several restaurants with very effective outdoor heating and will be enjoying them, even if it's breezy and cool. (I mean, especially if it's breezy.)
cheers and looking forward to more replies to this thread.

Sailingdom      I dont know if you will be able to get the vaccination without a residency card, everyone that was there were asked first for their residency cards.............

Hi my parents live in Balchik and both are over 80. Did you call to arrange the vaccines? If so what is the number? They can get to Dobrich easily.

Hello, we are both in our 70's and have just retired to Bulgaria from Australia. We're living at the Alexander Stamboliyski Dam a few kms from the village of Mladen. We'd love to link up with you when you're in Bulgaria. My husband was born in West Virginia and I was born in Australia.

Here is the Bulgarian website where you can book an appointment for a Covid Vaccination (usually/probably the Oxford AstraZeneca one):
https://his.bg/

You require a Residence Card (with your personal number), but no EHIC or insurance card.

It's free of charge.

You need to print the appointment confirmation, and print and sign the disclaimer form.

I personally did it at PULMED in Plovdiv, very nice new hospital. They have set up two portakabins one in the back (next to Emergency) for giving covid vaccinations... and one in the front (behind the pharmacy) for doing PCR tests in case you need to travel anywhere.

My partner got it at the same time. She was really nervous because of the AZ thrombosis scare... and she's still a bit freaked out as the Germans have said it's women under 50, and problem can happen between 4 and 20 days! But so far she's still alive. :-)

Side-effects lasted a couple of days, headache, tiredness, aching hand/arm.

Nurse gave us appointment cards for 2nd shot in 3 months time.

From what I read, Bulgarians are currently pretty anti-vaccine, so I don't think the vaccination points are super busy. If you have a Residence Permit... and you print the disclaimer form... I suspect you have a pretty good chance of getting it even without an appointment. Or going back for your 2nd shot on a different date.

SInce beginning of the week, the "Green Corridors" are opened again. Which means, you can show up without appointment and get a shot. Astra Zeneca, actually, only. I did it in Burgas on Wednesday this week. Lichnaya Carta required.
You need to check for availability in the neighbouring mayor town.

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Who are you saying is Evil? Big Harma or the Virologist recommending Tomatoes?

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