Plenković says mandatory vaccination is not being considered

Currently 38.5% of the total population has been vaccinated, including 46.3% of the adult population. As of Tuesday Croatian health care workers have administered 2 848 709 doses of the vaccine.

The biggest number of new positive test results appeared in Zadar County, with 53. However, epidemiologist Alan Medić sees no reason for panic: “These are primarily younger people, with roughly sixty percent of them under the age of forty and all of them with mild symptoms. I we take into consideration that if one family member is sick, then it is likely that the rest of their family, whom they share close quarters with, will also likely test positive. To me, this seems like a short surge in new positive test results.”

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Andrej Plenković reiterated yet again, that Croatia will not pursue a policy of mandatory vaccination, but added that he does not see any rational reason as to why someone would opt to not get vaccinated: “We will not introduce any form of compulsory obligation. We have faith in the wisdom of the Croatian people, and in their level of awareness. And ultimately, we believe in their altruistic nature, that they want all of their friends, family, work colleagues and acquaintances, to remain alive and healthy. This is actually quite banal.”

However, yesterday, the prime minister did say that officials are considering accelerating vaccination in the health, social care and education sectors. For his part Education Minister Radovan Fuchs today said that he is not happy with the vaccination rate in his sector, noting that vaccination in primary schools is at roughly 48 percent. The Secretary General of the Croatian Teacher's Union, Ana Tuškan, had this to say about vaccination in the school system: “I think there are differing opinions on this issue from union to union. But every opinion has to be respected, I want to believe that we still live in a democratic country. Opinions need to be heard, but we are still of the position that there shouldn't be any kind of coercion or compulsory obligation in that regard.”

Source: HRT