Bulgaria’s Chief State Health Inspector: Significant decline in morbidity, but pandemic not over

On a two-week basis, Covid-19 morbidity in Bulgaria has dropped 48 per cent and today for the first time, there are fewer than 500 patients in intensive care “but we cannot say we are done with the pandemic,” Chief State Health Inspector Angel Kunchev told Bulgarian National Radio on February 27.

“It makes sense to de-escalate measures carefully, after analysis, so that we do not allow the wave to return, and to stay ready, to be more effective in the event of a new strain or new cause of disease,” Kunchev said.

“No should imagine that if there are no measures, that relieves us of the obligation to increase the scope of immunisation so that we can be a country where everyone will come without fear. We must continue to convince people how important vaccination is for society,” he said.

Kunchev said that the Health Ministry had adopted a communication strategy for a national information campaign on vaccination, and it would start “soon”.

He acknowledged that it would not have the desired effect because it was belated and people had already formed their opinions. “But better late than never,” Kunchev said.

“I have no illusions that people aren’t tired of measures and talking about the virus. But we have no choice but to increase immunisation coverage to prevent unwanted surprises in the autumn.”

Kunchev said that that the biggest mistake had been to allow untruths and the quiet spread of fake news, which had caused confusion among the public.

For the rest of The Sofia Globe’s continuing coverage of the Covid-19 situation in Bulgaria, please click here.

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