Photo: EPA/BGNES
After contracting whooping cough, there is no lasting lifelong immunity. The vaccine against the disease, which is currently administered, also does not lead to long-term disease. This is what Dr. Christiana Bacelova, a specialist in epidemiology of infectious diseases, told Radio Varna.
Until 2010, a vaccine with higher efficiency compared to the current one was administered in Bulgaria, the specialist recalled. The reason for this is that the old vaccine led to allergic reactions, she added. Because of this, the scientific community is increasingly working on creating a vaccine that would be more effective in eliminating whooping cough, Bacelova added.
One person infected with whooping cough can infect between 15 and 17 people in contact with it, warned Dr. Bacelova. She recommends limiting children’s contact. Online education is a good measure to stop the spread of the bacteria, she added. According to her, it is very likely that there will be an increase in cases of whooping cough. “For a short period of time, distance learning could be a great measure,” emphasized Bacelova.
Dr. Christiana Bacelova supports the decision of the Ministry of Health that babies can be vaccinated earlier against whooping cough. She is categorical that the disease is dangerous for everyone, but in infants it can be life-threatening.
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Worked on the publication: intern-editor Maria Koleva
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