“We did not discuss that, there is no plan about that. But if you look at the countries around us, western European countries, you will see that they are increasingly using COVID certificates as a form of relative pressure on persons who are not vaccinated, because people who have been vaccinated have certain advantages in using services, visiting cultural institutions, restaurants,” Capak told a press conference.
“Right now we do not have any plan, but it is very likely that we will discuss the matter soon,” he added.
Capak said that the introduction of COVID certificates in the healthcare and social welfare systems was successful. “I would say that there will soon come a time when we will start discussing a possible extension of this measure.”
As for the possibility of measures being tightened because of the rise in new COVID-19 cases, Capak said they think that a balanced approach is the best.
Health Minister Vili Beroš said that the meeting mostly discussed the administration of a third dose of a COVID-19 vaccine, adding that all members of the Scientific Council agreed that the third dose should be administered to immunocompromised persons and to health and welfare workers.
“All scientists are unanimous in the opinion that the third dose is absolutely acceptable and that it will help us in fighting this epidemic. They are also of the view that differences in interpretation and giving recommendations for vaccination should be reduced,” Beroš said.
Beroš said that he would get the third dose. “The first dose I received was AstraZeneca, and the position of medical professionals is that a mRNA vaccine should be used for revaccination. I have no doubts, I will get the third dose and it will most likely be Pfizer or another mRNA vaccine.”
Beroš said that 78.2 percent of medical workers had been vaccinated against COVID-19, including 89.81 percent of doctors and 76.36 percent of nurses, as well as 72 percent of citizens aged above 65. He appealed to people who did not get vaccinated to do so.
