Chief State Health Inspector: Bulgaria is in the full swing of the fourth Covid-19 wave

We are in the fourth Covid-19 wave in full swing, after a period in which we seemed to have reached a plateau, we now see that the number of cases continue to increase, although slightly, Bulgaria’s Chief State Health Inspector, Assoc. Prof. Angel Kunchev, told BNT breakfast show on October 7.

The health care system is still working almost normally; in some areas the tension is higher. You know, Targovishte, where the situation is getting back to normal... Gabrovo, Rousse, Vidin, Montana, Pazardzhik.

340-360 infected per 100,000 are the incidence rates in the country. At the moment we are in the centre of this wave on the continent, added Assoc. Prof. Kunchev.

Asked whether the measures should be tightened, he said:

Measures can always be tightened when necessary and justified, but it is quite painful. On one hand, this makes people very tired and nervous, on the other hand, many people start to ignore the danger and are less inclined to make sacrifices for somebody else.

Bulgaria is entering the most critical phase of the fourth COVID-19 wave

Assoc. Prof. Kunchev commented on the low levels of vaccination in the country and the reasons for the lack of desire:

I do not know if it is fear or succumbing to openly false information and manipulation, with which the social networks are full.

He also commented on the issues that have arisen regarding the extension of the shelf life of the vaccines. According to him, the vials are stored properly and it has been proven that the properties of the drug remain unchanged for more than a year.

I can guarantee that until the arrival in Bulgaria and after entering the warehouses, the conditions for the storage of vaccines is observed, said Assoc. Prof. Kunchev.

According to him, issuing fake vaccination certificates is a crime.

There are doctors who risk their health, some sacrificed their lives while treating patients during the Covid-19 epidemic. And there are “clever” people who give 200-300 BGN to get a false certificate and then get ill and go to hospital, commented Assoc. Prof. Kunchev.

Go to France and enter any cafe without a document. Is France an undemocratic country, the health inspector asked rhetorically.

Vaccine certificates are not yet indefinite, we expect a decision from the EC, he added.

At the moment, for people without chronic underlying health conditions, the data are that a third dose is not needed, explained Assoc. Prof. Kunchev.