Starting this Monday, only kindergarten children who have received three doses of the DTaP vaccine for whooping cough (pertussis) and are scheduled for a booster shot within the next six months will be permitted to attend.

The decision was made by Health Minister Ilir Demiri last Friday, based on a recommendation from the Commission for Infectious Diseases.

In the past week, the State Sanitary and Health Inspectorate conducted numerous emergency inspections in kindergartens and confirmed compliance with the directive to exclude partially vaccinated children. Data from the inspectorate reveals that 50 percent of children in Skopje lack vaccination, contrasting with the 95 percent vaccination rate in other parts of the country.

Additionally, as of last week, DTaP vaccines are also available for adults.

The Public Health Institute (PHI) reported 43 new cases of pertussis within the previous week (March 8-14), bringing the total to 216 cases.

The majority of cases (88 percent, totaling 190) were documented in Skopje, with Tetovo (8 cases), Kumanovo (5 cases), Gostivar (3 cases), and others following suit.