According to Minister of Health Jan Blatný, the Czech government hopes to vaccinate 5.5 million people by the end of summer 2021.
“If everything goes as planned, the vaccination of about 5.5 million people, which is about 60-70 percent of the adult population , should be completed at the end of next summer,” the minister said.
So far, the government has provided for the vaccination of 5.5 million people, which will cost some 3.4 billion korunas (€128.3 million). They can still order vaccinations for up to 10.6 million more people as well. So far, no vaccine has been officially approved in the EU, so Czechia has ordered doses from several manufacturers. The vaccination of all Czechs could cost up to 5 billion korunas (€187.7 million) if two doses are needed.
The minister confirmed to the deputies that the strategy first plans for the vaccination of people over 60 years of age, those most at risk, people with chronic diseases, and healthcare workers on the front line, which represents thousands to tens of thousands of people. They will receive their dose at a vaccination center or their GP. The vaccine will be paid for via public health insurance, and vaccination will not be compulsory.
It is not yet clear how many vaccines Czechia will eventually need. According to a September survey by the STEM / MARK agency, 58 percent of people did not want to be vaccinated . According to Blatný, another survey was commissioned by the Ministry of Health, the results of which will be available on Monday.
Title image: Health Minister Jan Blatný (Facebook)
