After 2012, the so-called acellular vaccine against whooping cough was introduced, which unlike the previous , is with pertussis particles, not a live vaccine. The new vaccine protects less, said in an interview with BTV the Acting Minister of Health, Dr. Galya Kondeva.
"The new vaccine after 2012 protects less, but its advantage is that it does not have those severe side effects that were seen with the previous vaccine,", she added.
"When exactly the peak of whooping cough will be is difficult to say. By April 24, 525 cases of infection were registered. We have data on an epidemic spread, but things are under control at the moment," she added.
"Society is still very sensitive after COVID-19 on topics such as pandemic, epidemic, and therefore we are very careful about what messages we will give to this society. It is important for us that people are informed about whooping cough, about the symptoms, about the possible complications. But in no case do we want and we are working in the direction of not causing panic among the population", pointed out Galya Kondeva.
"Whooping cough is not a new disease. Epidemiologists have been watching it for years. The last more serious peak was in 2009. In 3 to 5 years there is an upward trend, but not to the extent that it is currently observed. From the summer of 2023, a significant increase in the number of cases has been observed in many countries in Europe," the minister also said.