Important! See the vaccination calendar with the mandatory immunizations…

All newborns are immunized with hepatitis B vaccine within the first 24 hours of birth

Due to the frequent cases of whooping cough and measles in recent weeks, the topic of vaccination is increasingly relevant.

Especially in children and babies. According to the Immunization Calendar of Bulgaria, mandatory prophylactic immunizations and reimmunizations are carried out at a certain age, the Ministry of Health states.

Immunizations

► All newborns are immunized with hepatitis B vaccine within the first 24 hours of birth and with tuberculosis vaccine (BCG) from 48 hours after birth until discharge from the maternity hospital

► from the second, third and fourth months, children are vaccinated against diphtheria, tetanus, whooping cough, poliomyelitis, Haemophilus influenzae type B infections and pneumococcal infections, as well as against hepatitis B, if the vaccine against hepatitis B is part of a multi-component vaccine

► if the hepatitis B vaccine is not part of a multicomponent vaccine, a second dose is administered from the first month and a third dose from the sixth month

► the vaccine against pneumococcal infections in the third month is not administered to children born after December 31, 2019.

► between 7 and 10 months of age, children without a BCG immunization scar are given a BCG vaccine in the maternity hospital after a negative tuberculin test

► from the thirteenth month, children are immunized with a combined vaccine against measles, rubella and mumps

Reimmunizations

► from the twelfth month – reimmunization against pneumococcal infections, but not earlier than 6 months after: administration of the third dose for children born before 01.01.2020 and the second dose for children born after 31.12.2019.

► from the sixteenth month – reimmunization against diphtheria, tetanus, whooping cough, poliomyelitis and Haemophilus influenzae type B infections, but not earlier than 12 months after the third administration

► at 6 years of age – reimmunization against diphtheria, tetanus, whooping cough and poliomyelitis

► at 7 years of age – reimmunization against tuberculosis of persons with a negative tuberculin test

► at 12 years of age – reimmunization against measles, rubella and mumps and also against diphtheria, tetanus, whooping cough

► at 17 years of age – reimmunization against tetanus and diphtheria

► upon reaching the age of 25, as well as every 10 years thereafter – reimmunization against tetanus and diphtheria

For all health-insured persons with a selected personal physician, the mandatory immunizations and re-immunizations are performed by the personal physician after an examination on the day of vaccination and are free of charge for the patient.

For health-insured persons who have not exercised their right to choose a personal physician, the mandatory immunizations and re-immunizations can be carried out free of charge in the immunization office of each Regional Health Inspection in the territory of the regional cities, the Ministry of Health states.

Recommended immunizations

In addition to the mandatory ones, there are also the so-called recommended immunizations. They are performed at the patient’s request for a fee. They apply to travelers to regions where there is an increased risk of contracting certain vaccine-preventable infections; in regions endemic for the given diseases; of persons of non-immunization age with accompanying diseases and increased risk of infection, etc.

This includes vaccines against hepatitis A, hepatitis B, influenza, typhoid, rabies, yellow fever, vaccine against diphtheria, tetanus and pertussis (acellular component) and with reduced antigenic content of the diphtheria component, against measles, mumps, rubella, against chicken pox , against meningococcal, pneumococcal, rotavirus, hemophilus type B infections, human papillomavirus infections, etc., the Ministry of Health adds.

Vaccines against COVID-19 and their administration are free for the population, regardless of the health insurance status of the individuals, dariknews.bg cites.