Since 2022, only in the Lovech region, 12 general practitioners, 17 parents, one director and two medical personnel from kindergartens have been fined and handed over to the prosecutor's office for violating the immunization calendar. This was explained in the program “Wake up“ on Nova TV by the Chief State Health Inspector Assoc. Prof. Angel Kunchev.
He once again emphasized that refusing immunization can lead to serious consequences for everyone.
“We had a huge measles epidemic with over 23,000 affected children 10 years ago. Then, during COVID, we had another epidemic with 1,500 affected. Now there is a third one – with 500 affected“, said Kunchev.
He is categorical that with viruses, there is no way to lie about the vaccine.
“The child either has immunity or he doesn't. If he doesn't, then most likely the vaccine was not made“, explained Assoc. Prof. Kunchev.
According to him, the cases of non-responders are no more than 1%, and most often they are even 1 per mille – one in a thousand.
“And in Lovech we are talking about 60%. I am not talking about the entire region. I am talking about 3-4 practices in which these vaccines were obviously not made. So measures must be taken. Yes, we have given them to the prosecutor's office and the National Agency for National Security, since this is a possible crime. First, you reported something you didn't do, but you're taking money. Second, it's about public health. What greater threat to our security than that?“, commented Assoc. Prof. Kunchev.
The two municipalities where this is observed most often are Ugarchin and Lukovit, he explained.
The rate of spread of measles is decreasing.
The new mandatory chickenpox vaccine
“The percentage is not high yet, but we are at the very beginning. It's like that with every new vaccine. Keep in mind that before we made it free, hundreds of parents traveled abroad, bought it and brought it to give it to their children. So there is one extreme and the other. We have made it easier for them by having the state take on this commitment”, said Kunchev.
There are 30,000 cases of chickenpox annually.