Beroš: Vaccination of health workers stepped up

Health Minister Vili Beroš said at a government session on Thursday that the vaccination of medical staff against COVID-19 had been stepped up and that the current rate was 74%, with the highest increase in vaccination having been reported among nurses.

"Compared to a week ago, the share of unvaccinated staff has dropped by 2.4% and most of the newly vaccinated are nurses and other medical staff, which is an increase of 2.8%," Beroš said.

He commended medical institutions for the good organisation of the introduction of COVID-19 certificates in the healthcare sector. So far 11,567 employees have been tested, 41 have been found to be positive for coronavirus and 36 have refused to get tested, he said.

"By doing so we are not violating anyone's rights, quite the contrary. It is our duty to secure conditions for the safe treatment of every patient," said the minister.

Beroš said that his ministry had formed a commission to monitor the treatment of cancer patients in order to respond to the challenges of the post-COVID period as well as a task force to formulate amendments to the health insurance and health care laws to define new solutions regarding the availability of health care.

Speaking of the national day against breast cancer, the minister said that prevention programmes had continued during the pandemic, albeit with a 10% drop.

He noted that Croatia had seen a drop in breast cancer cases of some 25% for the fifth consecutive year.

Irena Petrijevčanin, State Secretary at the Ministry of the Interior, said that the EU digital certificate based on a rapid antigen test was valid for 48 hours, one based on a PCR test for 72 hours, a certificate proving one's recovery from COVID-19 was valid for 180 days and one proving vaccination 365 days.

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