Czech Health Minister: COVID vaccines have been ordered

According to Health Minister Jan Blatny (ANO) yesterday, the government has ordered vaccines for 5.5 million people from producers worth CZK 1.8 billion, through a joint agreement with EU states, and is negotiating with other producers.

Blatny said that although the Czech Republic has only 10.7 million inhabitants, the government plans to have vaccines for up to 16 million people on hand. Other countries have also decided to stockpile more vaccines than it has residents, he said.

In the Czech Republic, the vaccination should be covered by the state health insurance system, with preference for inoculation given to volunteers, high-risk groups, medical and social workers and other professionals crucial for the operation of the state.

Blatny said a vaccination strategy would be submitted to the Czech government in two weeks and it would designate the vaccination schedule for preferential groups.

According to the report the government received, the country has ordered three million doses from Astra Zeneca and four million doses from BioNTech and Pfizer, as well as vaccines from Johnson & Johnson for two million people, and a yet to be determined number of vaccines from Sanofi. The country is also negotiating with CureVac and Moderna.

At the end of the year, vaccines for 400,000 people should be delivered to the Czech Republic. In the first quarter of 2021, doses for a further 850,000 people are to be delivered. In the second quarter, the country will receive vaccines for 2.1 million people, in the third quarter for 1.9 million people and in the last quarter for 250,000 people.

In the first stage, the vaccination will be prioritized for people over 65 who suffer from chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), high blood pressure, heart condition, obesity, oncological diseases, liver and kidney diseases, severe diabetes or after organ transplants.

Groups to be vaccinated in the first stage also include medical staff from intensive care units, emergency rooms, rescue services, pulmonary departments as well as public health officers, testing laboratories and employees and clients of social care services.