Vaccines are expected to be delivered to Slovakia on Boxing Day. (source: AP/SITA)
Slovakia is ready for the COVID-19 vaccinations, the Slovak Health Ministry stated in reaction to the European Commission President Ursula von den Leyen's announcement that the vaccination will start in the EU countries on December 27, 28 and 29.
"Slovakia is ready and currently waiting for the approval of the vaccine by the European Medicines Agency (EMA)," the ministry's spokesperson Zuzana Eliášová told the SITA newswire.
The EMA is expected to give the green light to the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine on December 21.
3 million people
There are 25 vaccination points prepared in Slovakia where the vaccine will be stored and administered. The number is planned to gradually grow. According to earlier information, there should be 79 vaccination points around the country.There are 25 vaccination points prepared in Slovakia where the vaccine will be stored and administered. The number is planned to gradually grow. According to earlier information, there should be 79 vaccination points around the country.
Four waves of vaccination in Slovakia
1. healthcare staff, employees of nursing homes, critical infrastructure;
2. people older than 65 years, people suffering from chronic diseases, clients of nursing homes;
3. marginalised groups, homeless people, asylum seekers, teachers;
4. everybody older than 18 years (voluntary principle)
The Health Ministry plans to vaccinate 3 million people in Slovakia over the course of 2021. This roughly equals the number of people who took part in the November 1 nationwide testing.
"In which case, herd immunity will be triggered and the virus will be eliminated," Eliášová said.
So far, there has been no official campaign preparing people for the vaccine.
In Slovakia, less than half of the respondents in polls say they are willing to get vaccinated. According to the latest Globsec poll, it is just one third of respondents.
General public to wait until Easter
Based on the plan that was presented earlier this week, the first to get the COVID-19 shot will be persons who come into direct contact with the infected (mainly health care staff), followed by chronically ill patients and people over 65 years of age.
The ministry expects the vaccine will be available for the general public around Easter 2021.
The vaccine will be free of charge and voluntary.
The first batch of the vaccine should arrive in Slovakia on December 26. It should contain 10,000 doses, which means that 5,000 persons will be vaccinated (two doses are required).
Slovakia has contracted about 17 million vaccines through five contracts, the ministry announced at its December 18 press conference.
