The Law on the Protection of the Population against Communicable Diseases is already in Parliament procedure and is expected to be amended next week, Health Minister Venko Filipche said Saturday.

He said he expected the law to be adopted soon in a fact-tracked procedure paving the way for the new restrictive measures, recommended recently by the Commission for Infectious Diseases, to be introduced in a bid to stop the spread of the new coronavirus.

“It emerged that we have to amend the law because some of the decrees on mandatory use of masks outdoors are included in the decree with the force of law, enacted by the end of the state of emergency,” Filipche told reporters in Shtip, noting it was the best way for enacting an efficient measure.

Asked how the health system would cope given the lack of doctors and medical staff in infectious diseases wards across the country, the Minister said the problem was under control since the outbreak of the epidemic.

“Doctors, internists, infectious diseases doctors and nurses have been included in the system of rotation all over the country,” Filipche said, adding he was in regular contact with hospital managers to be up to date on the situation in hospitals.

Furthermore, Minister Filipche said that 40,000 seasonal flu shots have been procured, which will be free of charge for certain categories of citizens, including people with chronic illnesses. Flu vaccination is expected to start by the end of October.