Czech Health Ministry: foreigners should have vaccination solution by June 1

The Czech Republic has administered more than 4.5 million doses of Covid-19 vaccines so far this year, and over the past week the number of vaccinations per day has been creeping up to 100,000.

But many foreigners in the Czech Republic are still waiting for word on when they might be able to register for vaccination.

Currently, vaccines are only available to those with public health insurance in the Czech Republic or another EU state. The Czech Health Ministry last wrote on February 1 that it was working to address the issue.

After prodding from Prague Mayor Zdeněk Hřib on May 11, Health Minister Petr Arenberger told the Czech Chamber of Deputies on May 13 that the Ministry was working things out and a framework for vaccinating foreigners without public insurance would be established the following week. Ten days later, and official statement from the Health Ministry has yet to come.

But there may be hope on the horizon. Yesterday, Ministry of Health spokesperson Jana Schillerová told Lidovky.cz that a plan for foreigners without public health insurance should be in place by June 1.

"Such foreigners will be vaccinated as self-payers, they will pay [out-of-pocket] for the cost of the vaccine and its administration," Schillerová said.

According to Schillerová, the Health Ministry is aiming to set a cap on the cost of vaccination at an estimated 1,000 crowns per dose.

That could come to 2,000 crowns for two doses of the Pfizer vaccine, the most commonly-used vaccine in the Czech Republic to date. Apart from other two-dose options, the Johnson & Johnson vaccine is administered in a single dose, but its availability is limited.

The cost of vaccination could serve as another deterrent for foreigners in the Czech Republic without public health insurance, delaying the overall protection of the greater population.

"Solve vaccinations for uninsured foreigners living in the Czech Republic as soon as possible!" Hřib tweeted at the Health Ministry on May 11.

"If uninsured foreigners (especially in Prague) drop out of the vaccination system, the protection of the population will not be ensured."

To help clarify the current situation for foreigners living in Prague, the city has recently shared translated vaccination information in English, Russian, Ukrainian, and Vietnamese.

Some foreigners are seeking alternatives, such as getting vaccinated in their home countries. But travel complications, along with questions about whether vaccinations abroad might be recognized in the Czech Republic, remain.

"Almost all my friends at home are already vaccinated," Lucas, a 28-year-old Canadian, told Lidovky.cz.

"Vaccination is dragging on in the Czech Republic, I did not expect such a slow process in the heart of Europe."

According to statements previously made by Arenberger, the Czech Republic will open its vaccine registration system to all ages over 16 at the beginning of June.

Hopefully, that will also include foreigners in the Czech Republic without public health insurance.