ZAGREB, 18 Nov 2021 - In the past 24 hours Croatia has registered 7,270 new COVID-19 cases and 63 deaths, the national COVID response team reported on Thursday.

There are 39,034 active cases in the country, including 2,513 hospitalized patients, 324 of whom are on ventilators.

Since the outbreak of the pandemic, there have been a total of 558,270 registered cases of contagion and the death toll has climbed to 10,113. A  total of 509,123 people have recovered from the novel coronavirus, including 5,317 in the past 24 hours. Currently, there are 26,602 people self-isolating.

To date, 3,320,983 tests have been performed, with 17,230 samples taken in the past 24 hours.

As of 17 November, a total of 3,931,774 doses of a vaccine had been administered, with 51.63% of the total population, or 61.67% of the adult population, having been vaccinated.

On Wednesday alone, 33,122 doses of a vaccine were administered, with 18,574 people receiving the first dose.

To date, 2,095,085 people have received at least one dose of a vaccine, and 1,881,107 people, or 55.60% of the adult population, have been fully vaccinated.

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ZAGREB, 15 Nov 2021 - Minister of Labour and Pension System Josip Aladrović on Monday said that there is no rational reason to reject being tested for coronavirus, underscoring that employers would decide on the fate of those who refused to be tested.

"We can try and have understanding, for a certain period of time, for people who do not wish to get vaccinated. However, there is no rational reason to reject testing and I think that we all need to show responsibility here," Aladrović told reporters.

Speaking ahead of the introduction of COVID certificates in all state and public service facilities on Tuesday, Aladrović underscored that the healthcare and welfare sectors, where COVID certificates were introduced in October, had demonstrated a high level of responsibility, adding that he did not believe other systems could encounter any major problems for introducing the certificates either.

Asked what will happen to employees who refuse to be tested, Aladrović underscored that their employers would be the ones to decide.

"The related lay-offs so far have been at the level of statistical errors. I expect a vast majority of employees will be responsible, however, employers will be the ones to decide in cases of non-compliance," he said and added that this was in line with the law.

Commenting on ongoing protests against COVID certificates, he said that they were exclusively politically motivated. "It is really difficult to find any rational reason for the protests," the minister said, adding that he expected them to wane at one point.

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ZAGREB, 15 Nov 2021 -  Croatia has registered 1,135 new coronavirus cases and 55 COVID-related deaths in the last 24 hours, the national coronavirus response team said on Monday.

Currently, 2,338 persons are being treated in hospitals, 287 of whom are on ventilators.

In the last 24 hours, 3,602 people have been tested for the SARS-CoV-2 virus, of whom 1,135 (nearly one-third) have tested positive.

There are 34,062 active cases in the country. A total of 24,145 people are self-isolating.

Since 25 February 2020, when the first case of the infection was confirmed in the country, 539,887 people have been registered as having contracted the novel virus, of whom 9,936 have died.

A total of 6,566 doses of the vaccine were administrated on Sunday, of which 5,127 were the first dose.

The COVID vaccine has been administered to 50.48 percent of the total population or 60.33 percent of the adult population. A total of 1,859,418 people have been fully vaccinated, which is 54.96 percent of the adult population.

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November 14, 2021 - According to Krunoslav Capak, director of HZJZ, 28,170 people were vaccinated, of whom 19,198 received the first dose, thus setting a new record of vaccination with the first dose of the coronavirus vaccine in autumn.

A new record of vaccination in autumn with the first doses was set in Croatia yesterday, the Croatian Institute of Public Health announced on its website, reports HRT News. 28,170 people were vaccinated, of whom 19,198 received the first dose. The second dose was received by 2,359 people and the third by 6,613 people. Thus, the total number of persons who received the first dose since the beginning of vaccination is 2,043,475, which is 50.35% of the total population. Of those vaccinated, 2,022,551 are adults, bringing the share of vaccinated adults to 60.18%, according to the HZJZ. 

''I thank all our fellow citizens who decided to get vaccinated and we invite everyone else to get vaccinated. We can now conclude that there are more of those who have been vaccinated than those who have not yet decided to take that step. We especially call for vaccination of all those with chronic diseases. Citizens often ask doctors at checkpoints if they can be vaccinated due to the diseases they have and due to previous allergic reactions. Chronic diseases are precisely the reason for priority vaccination: if you have chronic diseases, the more you need to be vaccinated immediately. If you are unsure, bring your medical records for vaccination. There is a doctor at each vaccination point who will study what it is about on the spot before the vaccination. Related to allergies, even a severe previous allergic reaction to medications in the vast majority of cases only requires that the person stays in the vaccination for a little longer after vaccination under the supervision of a doctor (30 minutes instead of 15 minutes). Food and pollen allergies are not important when getting vaccinated and everyone can be vaccinated. Health barriers (contraindications) for vaccination due to which a person cannot be vaccinated have a very small number of people, less than 2 percent of the population judging by the countries where more than 98% of the population is vaccinated'', said the director of the HZJZ Krunoslav Capak.

"The highest coverage of vaccinated with the first dose was achieved in the City of Zagreb (58.9% of the total population, or 70.6% of the adult population), and the completed vaccination was also achieved in the City of Zagreb (53.2% of the total population, ie 64, 1% of the adult population), helping to set a new record of vaccination during the autumn season in Croatia.

The share of vaccinated increases from lower to higher age groups up to the age of 70-74, and at the age of 70-74 the highest share of vaccinated is 87.65% for the first dose. 638,318 persons (74.8%) with one dose and 594,036 persons (69.6%) with two doses were vaccinated'', the statement said.

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ZAGREB, 12 Nov (Hina) - Over the past 24 hours, Croatia has registered 6,449 new cases of the coronavirus infection and there have been 53 related deaths, the national COVID-19 crisis management team said on Friday.

The number of active cases in Croatia currently stands at 39,846, including 2,086 patients in hospitals, 251 of whom are on ventilators, and 30,252 people are in self-isolation.

To date, a total of 3,246,065 people have been tested, including 15,067 in the last 24 hours.

A total of 3,790,884 vaccine doses have been administered, and 49.1% of the population has been vaccinated, including 59.20% of adults, of whom 54.55% have been fully vaccinated.

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November 11, 2021 - At least two Zagreb faculties have decided to adopt tighter epidemiological measures, thus introducing the requirement for COVID certificates from their students. The Faculty of Philosophy is moving to online classes, while at the Veterinary School they will check the certificates before each lecture.

From Monday, COVID certificates became mandatory for employees in all state and public institutions, including educational institutions. While we are still waiting for details on their application for the school system, which, according to the announcement of minister Radovan Fuchs, should be known by tomorrow, it is known that school students will not have to get COVID certificates, reports Telegram.hr.

For faculty students, on the other hand, at least in two Zagreb faculties COVID certificates will become mandatory. The Faculties of Veterinary Medicine and Philosophy in Zagreb sent a letter to their students informing them that they would have to have COVID certificates to enter their faculties. One of these two Zagreb faculties is the Faculty of Philosophy, which has switched to online classes from November 15 to 26, and after that, entrance will be controlled to ensure each student presents both a COVID certificate and an Index. The faculty will reimburse its employees for the cost of testing done by November 28th.

Veterinary students will not be able to attend any form of classes, nor stay on the faculty premises without a COVID certificate, decided dean Nenad Turk. In a letter to the students, he states that the certificates will be checked before each lecture and that the absence from classes due to the lack of a certificate will be the same as the absence due to other reasons and will have to be justified by medical reference, writes srednja.hr.

Students at the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine in Zagreb, who cannot be vaccinated due to medical reasons, must submit proof of this to the office by tomorrow. They will be able to participate in classes with enhanced measures, according to the faculty. They emphasized that wearing masks is mandatory in all enclosed spaces of the faculty.

At the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, they conducted an anonymous survey among students and employees to see how many were vaccinated, and the reasons why they would or have been vaccinated, and the most common answer was: "to normalize life as much as possible." According to that survey, more than 90 percent of employees and about 70 percent of students were vaccinated or contracted COVID. "This ensures a favorable epidemiological situation at the Faculty," they said.

They also explained why they introduced mandatory certificates for students. “We also included students because we believe that students as adults and responsible persons must respect the same measures as all employees and guests of the Faculty, in order to avoid any discrimination and ensure consistency of prescribed measures, in order to protect all our employees and students and safe implementation of the teaching process”, said the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, and are waiting for instructions from the Ministry to decide who will cover the costs of testing.

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November 9, 2021 - Minister of Science and Education, Radovan Fuchs said that the Ministry of Science and Education is currently agreeing on a mechanism and method of testing for COVID in the education system, three options are being considered for testing teachers, and the exact method of testing will be known by Friday.

"A testing variant will be introduced for all who need to be tested. So, those who have covid-certificates will show certificates and will not need to be tested," the minister said.

The mechanism and method of testing are currently being agreed upon, and there are three options on the table, said Fuchs, testing teachers in authorized institutions, such as laboratories, testing in schools, and the possibility of self-testing, reports Index.hr.

"We will know by Friday, after taking into account all the pros and cons in terms of the possible and most effective. We will define and write this in the decision, as well as the decision to act and test in health facilities," Fuchs told reporters on the eve of the sessions of the National Council for Monitoring the Implementation of the Anti-Corruption Strategy.

It's about 120,000 people

He noted that this is a total of 120,000 people, when kindergartens, primary and secondary schools, and the higher education system are taken into account, and in the primary and secondary education system itself there are slightly less than 60,000 employees.

"If 45 percent of them are unvaccinated, and I don't know exactly how many got over it, then we're talking about testing about 30,000 people. That's not so little'', he noted. 

It must be taken into account, he added, that testing teachers should be done every two days, but also that it should be done before the teacher enters the classroom and starts teaching.

"It's not quite simple, but we intend to write it all down in the instructions so that there aren't too many problems," Fuchs pointed out.

He also said that testing of children is not being considered at the moment, but that it will be considered if necessary.

“Teachers are certainly responsible people,” he pointed out. "I don't think they'll just go by the 'I really care about my students and my kids' system. I believe most of them will, if necessary, conduct rapid antigen tests," he added.

Boras: The University will respect the decisions of the Headquarters

Rector of the University of Zagreb Damir Boras pointed out that the University cooperates well with the Civil Protection Headquarters and that it will "always strictly adhere to things concerning COVID", noting that the University can make an autonomous decision on the introduction of covid certificates.

The university has its own headquarters which is currently sitting and considering the possibility of introducing covid-certificates. "In any case, we must protect ourselves and we will respect the decisions of the Headquarters. So, there will either be covid-certificates, or vaccination certificates or prescribed testing," the rector said.

"My personal opinion is that everyone should be vaccinated. Of course, I accept that there is a right of people not to be vaccinated, but some categories of employees, professionals, no longer have that right. I would say, for example, that medical professionals made their decision when they started practicing medicine and since then they have to respect the profession, "Boras told reporters.

Asked whether the University will give a stronger recommendation than before, Boras replied that the University has already given a strong recommendation, and it is to respect the decisions of the State Staff, which, he reiterated, communicates excellently and daily with members of the University Staff. The university was founded before the state ".

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ZAGREB, 7 Nov 2021 - The Homeland Movement (DP) party on Sunday condemned the plan to require COVID certificates and testing for entry into the Croatian Parliament building, saying that under the Constitution power derives from the people and not from the national coronavirus response team.

"The Homeland Movement considers the announced violent introduction of so-called COVID certificates and testing in the Croatian Parliament by a para-state body called the national response team as the nullification of the will of the people expressed in elections and the most dangerous encroachment yet upon basic human and political freedoms, civil rights and the most important values of Croatian parliamentary democracy," the party said in a statement.

The DP said that decisions by the national coronavirus response team can by no means be above Croatian laws, in particular the Constitution, condemning any form of segregation of citizens on any grounds, including on the grounds of whether someone has been vaccinated or not.

"Despite the media hype and censorship, it is an undeniable fact that the virus is spread both by people who have been vaccinated and by those who have not, so this cannot be used as an argument by the response team to nullify the will of the people," the statement said.

The party said that relevant studies questioned the efficiency of the vaccines and that this was also confirmed by case numbers. "We are not saying that the vaccine helps or does not help, but why are those who are imposing it by force not willing to accept responsibility in the event of possible side-effects?"

The Homeland Movement expects the president of the republic, church dignitaries, and all members of Parliament, regardless of their ideological views, to oppose this "violent act that is being prepared."

"Those who fail this test must be aware that by doing so they take their part of historic responsibility for nullifying the fundamental values on which the modern and democratic Croatia is based," the party said.

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ZAGREB, 7 Nov 2021 - Finance Minister Zdravko Marić has been found to be positive for COVID-19 after undergoing a test at the weekend, the government announced in a press release on Sunday.

Marić underwent a test after a member of his family had developed symptoms of the infection. His test returned positive, after which epidemiologists have ordered him to stay in isolation for ten days.

The minister "is feeling well and for now, he has no symptoms of the COVID-19 disease. He will stay in isolation and perform his duties from home while following orders from his doctor and epidemiologists," the press release said.

Marić, as well as other cabinet ministers, were vaccinated against COVID-19 early this year, and would soon receive a booster dose, following recommendations by the Croatian Public Health Institute, government spokesman Marko Milić said, adding that several cabinet ministers had already received the third dose of vaccine.

Milić appealed to all citizens to get vaccinated if they had not done so yet because the vaccine protects against serious forms of the disease. He also appealed to people who had received their second shot six months ago or longer, especially the elderly or those immunocompromised, to get a booster dose as soon as possible.

He recalled that Deputy Prime Minister Boris Milošević and Labour Minister Josip Aladrović, who had become infected even though they had been vaccinated, had overcome the infection with very mild symptoms.

Also, the opposition Bridge party leader, Božo Petrov, said in an interview with Nova TV on Saturday evening that he was positive for COVID-19. "Two or three days ago I found out I was infected. I had symptoms, I called my doctor and did a PCR test, which showed I was positive," he said.

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ZAGREB, 7 Nov 2021 - Croatia has registered 4,159 new coronavirus cases and 50 deaths in the last 24 hours, the national COVID-19 response team said on Sunday morning.

Currently, there are 32,000 active cases in the country. Among them are 1,848 people who are receiving hospital treatment and 248 of them are on ventilators. A total of 26,615 people are self-isolating.

Since 25 February 2020, when the first case was confirmed in Croatia, 501,327 people have been registered as having contracted the novel virus, of whom 9,500 have died and 459,827 have recovered, including 3,798 in the last 24 hours.

To date, 3,180,957 people have been tested for COVID-19, including 9,776 in the last 24 hours. A total of 3,690,148 doses of vaccine have been administered, with 48.02 percent of the total population, or 57.46 percent of the adult population, having been vaccinated.

As of Saturday, 1,948,738 people have received at least one dose and 1,820,138 have been fully immunized, which is 53.81 percent of the adult population.

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