In case of a whooping cough epidemic – what measures does the Ministry of Health take? How to protect people? – Health

Even if an epidemic of whooping cough is declared, such strict anti-epidemic measures as there were during the covid pandemic will not be imposed, the chief state health inspector Assoc. Angel Kunchev insisted to BTA.

According to him, there will not be such a strong pressure on the health system.

“What we see so far is that no more than 5-10% of whooping cough patients are hospitalized, and for a large number of them it is more like a guarantee of observation, and not because they need intensive treatment,” he pointed out. he.

Possible epidemic of whooping cough

Will Bulgaria declare a national epidemic because of whooping cough patients?

“What we have seen in the last year in Europe is that the course of whooping cough is not that severe after all. More than half of the patients are immunized and the disease is very mild in them. In these patients, establishing the diagnosis is a problem because cough can also cause many other respiratory viruses,” said Prof. Kunchev.

“Older people are vaccinated with a whole-cell vaccine against whooping cough. It is not impossible to get sick, but we will get sick so mildly that we probably won’t be diagnosed,” said the expert.

One of the measures we are taking first is to make diagnostics more accessible and for it to be carried out in several places in the country, and for epidemiologists to direct certain groups of patients to free diagnosis, he explained.

Whooping cough in children and pregnant women

“In a significant proportion of cases of whooping cough among children, the disease goes away by itself, but in order to avoid risks, we prefer to start treatment in time. It is a bacterial infection that is affected by antibiotics, and with early treatment, any danger of further high risk,” explained the chief state health inspector.

According to him, when society is scared, it reacts emotionally.

“Pregnant women can be vaccinated, but I don’t think this should be a mandatory condition… Pregnant women should also take into account the opinion of obstetricians and gynecologists,” Assoc. Kunchev insisted.

According to him, each organism reacts differently, and immunity in some people can last for 20 years, and in others it can begin to decline in the second or third year after the pertussis vaccination.

Whooping cough: Those vaccinated 10 years ago may cough, but it will not be severe

The health authorities

We are not spreading panic, said Prof. Kunchev in response to a question whether the behavior of the health authorities at the moment is exaggerated.

“With continuous circulation of the pertussis agent, it is obviously the beginning of an epidemic and people should know this and follow certain measures. Whooping cough is a typical airborne disease and the bacterium is transmitted by droplets of saliva. The protective mask mechanically and very effectively stops the transmission of the contagion,” he explained.

“We would not go back to the measures that were applied during the covid pandemic. If whooping cough appears in a collective, it would be safer for people there to wear protective masks, and the more effective option is for those who have symptoms to wear masks , and not those who don’t have it. The idea is to stop the spread of the infection, but the measures will be neither so strict nor so massive,” predicts Associate Professor Angel Kunchev.

E-learning due to whooping cough – at the discretion of the school principal

According to him, with over 90% coverage of the population with the first three doses of vaccine, the causative agent will hardly find so many non-immune persons to make them sick.

Vaccination waiver with parent’s signature!?

“There will be no benefit if the idea is introduced that parents certify their child’s refusal to receive a vaccine with their signature,” says Prof. Kunchev.

“Immunizations are not related only to one or another child, because if a parent does not immunize his own child, he puts other children at risk. About 3% of children cannot be vaccinated for medical reasons and they are protected by public immunity,” he pointed out yet the health expert.