In Bulgaria, vaccination coverage against the SARS-CoV-2 virus is low. The reasons for this fact are many and varied. The aim of the present study was to establish what the attitudes towards the COVID-19 vaccination process are among students from various specialties from several Bulgarian universities. In this research, 600 students participated, divided into two groups: Doctor of Medicine (MD) students (n = 300) and non-MD students, i.e., students of specialties, such as mathematics, engineering, finance and economics, law, human sciences, etc. (n = 300). Each respondent completed a questionnaire which was divided into three parts with closed questions. The mean age of all students was 21.19 ± 1.87 years (95% CI: 20.48–21.90). The female sex dominated among the analyzed participants (sex ratio: female/male = 1/0.85). Nearly 62% (371/600) of individuals declared that they have been COVID-19 vaccinated with at least one dose (p < 0.001). Overall, 33% of the participants sought information on vaccines from video sharing platforms and 36.0% (216/600) from social media platforms. From the conducted multivariable logistic regression the odds of vaccination against COVID-19 were 6.225 times higher in individuals with a positive attitude towards these vaccines than in people with a negative attitude towards them (p < 0.001). We have found that those students who trust the international health organizations had an OR of 2.365 (p = 0.004) to be SARS-CoV-2 vaccinated. We estimated that the odds of vaccination against SARS-CoV-2 among children were 4.794 times higher in parents (students) who had been vaccinated than in non-vaccinated parents (students) (p < 0.001). Our results could support the national public health organizations, the national educational/scientific systems, and the management of Bulgarian universities in making future decisions about the field of COVID-19 control and prevention.

Mpox re-emerged as a global public health concern during the 2022 international out-break, underscoring the necessity of preparedness among future healthcare professionals. This study sought to evaluate knowledge and attitudes toward Mpox among medical students in Bulgaria and North Macedonia. A cross-sectional, online survey was con-ducted from May to September 2022 among undergraduates attending medical universi-ties in both nations. The questionnaire evaluated demographic variables, knowledge of Mpox, and attitudes toward conspiracy theories associated with the emerging infectious disease. A total of 1,313 students participated, with a mean age of 22.6 ± 4.4 years and 63.7% being female. While 56.3% of respondents were familiar with Mpox, hardly 16.9% indicated having received formal or specialized information regarding the disease. Signif-icant information deficiencies were observed: merely 38.1% accurately acknowledged that antibiotics are ineffective against Mpox, and 25.0% were knowledgeable of the availability of vaccinations for prophylaxis. Common misconceptions regarding transmission and resemblances to other vesicular illnesses were prevalent. Attitudinal research indicated significant uncertainty and partial support for conspiracy theories concerning new path-ogens. The findings reveal inadequate readiness among prospective healthcare workers and highlight the necessity to enhance medical education on emerging infectious illnesses to facilitate early detection, risk communication, and epidemic preparedness in South-eastern Europe.