ZAGREB, 6 Nov 2021 - Prime Minister Andrej Plenković said on Saturday that all Croatian citizens should get vaccinated against COVID-19 as that would certainly reduce the rate of new infections, the number of hospitalizations, and consequently the number of deaths, also advising people to get a booster dose.

Plenković was speaking to the press after visiting Zagreb's Dubrava hospital, where he and Health Minister Vili Beroš met with the hospital's management and the national coronavirus response team and visited the intensive care unit.

Plenković said that Croatia had sufficient quantities of COVID-19 vaccines, adding that vaccination would reduce the number of deaths and infections. He once again appealed to people who had not been immunized to get vaccinated.

He said that the data of the past few days was encouraging as it indicated a growing interest among the citizens in getting vaccinated. In the last three days alone, 23,000 people have received their first shot, he added.

The prime minister stressed that Croatia had dedicated medical staff and an abundance of vaccines, stressing that people had a responsibility towards contributing to this collective effort.

"Anyone who thinks that the situation is not difficult should visit this hospital for 30 seconds and they would immediately change their mind," Plenković said.

Asked to comment on the statement by right-wing MP Zlatko Hasanbegović that he will not get vaccinated or tested and that it is his right to have the virus, Plenković said that the statement is idiotic. He added that being a member of Parliament does not give Hasanbegović the right to talk nonsense.

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ZAGREB, November 6, 2021 - In the past 24 hours Croatia has registered 7,094 new coronavirus cases and 50 deaths, Koronavirus.hr reported on Saturday.

That is the highest number of new cases yet in one day since the outbreak of the pandemic. The record until now was 6,932, which was registered on Friday.

There are currently 31,689 active cases in the country, including 1,786 hospitalized patients, and 234 are on ventilators.

At the same time, there are 30,256 people self-isolating.

Since February 25, 2020, when the first case of infection was recorded in Croatia, a total of 497,168 people infected with the new coronavirus have been recorded so far, of whom 9,450 have died, a total of 456,029 have recovered, of which 3,896 in the last 24 hours.

To date, a total of 3,171,181 people have been tested, of which 15,498 in the last 24 hours.

As of November 5, 2021, 3,675,807 doses of vaccine were consumed, and 47.78% of the total population and 57.19% of the adult population were vaccinated. On November 5, 2021, 17,334 doses of vaccine were consumed, of which 8,819 persons were vaccinated with the first dose. 

As of November 5, 2021, 1,939,061 people were vaccinated with at least one dose, of which 1,816,377 people (1,696,577 people vaccinated with two doses and 119,800 people vaccinated with Jannsen) were vaccinated, which is 53.71% of the adult population.

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November 6, 2021 - ''We are not far from a situation when we will have to choose who will take a respirator'', warns pulmonologist Saša Srića, as he announces that many Croatian hospitals have already reached 90% percent of their capacity as the number of positive cases continues to grow.

Minister of Health Vili Beroš stated on Saturday that there are more than seven thousand newly infected with coronavirus in Croatia today, we are at the peak of the fourth wave, and that we do not know what awaits us.

Record numbers worried many, and pulmonologist Saša Srića, who was a guest on the show New Day on the H1 television station, also spoke on the subject, reports Net.hr.

A potentially catastrophic scenario

"It is a worrying situation that at the moment can, given the trends, represent a potentially catastrophic scenario. The measures that have been adopted are overdue. These measures that come into force, which from today, and again from 14 November, is a big step back. A lot of time will pass, I think it could have been faster.

I think that the measures are not adequate and should be extended to other sectors. The virus does not know the difference whether it is in schools, cafes, restaurants, shopping malls. The measures should have been much stricter", expressed Srića, and continued:

"Constant balancing and the system 'we will not resent anyone, let's be good to everyone' has cost us such situations, such epidemiological pictures. And what we need to fear the most, the overload of the health care system, is already present".

Pulmonologist Saša Srića (Photo: Robert Anic/PIXSELL)

"When we talk about the younger population, compared to previous waves, there is now a much larger number of the younger population. The delta strain attacks the younger population more for one reason: it is poorly vaccinated. The theory 'it won't hurt me, we are young and healthy' is an escape from the truth, an escape from reality, he emphasized and continued:

Fear for the health system

Young people like to get together, that’s logical, but we need to be aware of the current situation. The younger population who end up with a more severe clinical picture are, as a rule, almost all unvaccinated", said Srića, adding that so far we have not had a death of a person under the age of 50 who was vaccinated and in full health.

"We are already in over 90 percent of capacity in many Croatian hospitals, and only now are we taking care of those from two weeks ago when we had two thousand infected. What will be in the next two to three weeks?

I am afraid that with such a trend, the health care system, despite the fact that we hear some optimistic assessments from the Headquarters, will hardly survive. Even estimating the collapse of the health care system and Croatian hospitals in two to three weeks is not something that is unrealistic'', said Srića.

"I don't think the numbers will fall for a while. The winter is still going on and will last. I don't think we're at the peak yet, and that's especially worrying. What worries me the most is when the situation starts to collapse. We are wondering how many places we still have, not to mention the situation we will have in ten days. That is why I say that the measures are too weak", said Srića and answered the question: what if there is no place in Croatian hospitals, are there any protocols?

"We haven't worked out the protocols, I think we need them. We should first of all try to find enough capacity. The capacities of the beds and respirators are, I am convinced, not completely spent, I think there will be too few people. Many people are already exhausted, tired, the possibility of error is present.

And you want to get into a situation where you choose to take a respirator, you don't… We must not get into a situation like that, and I am afraid that we are not far from there", pointed out Srića.

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ZAGREB, 6 Nov 2021 - Health Minister Vili Beroš told the national radio (HR) on Saturday morning that over 7,000 new cases of the infection with coronavirus had been registered in the last 24 hours.

Croatia is now at the peak of the new wave of the pandemic and unfortunately, today we have registered over 7,000 new cases.

The minister declined to predict the scenarios for the future.

Let us do our best, and the best thing is to get vaccinated and comply with the basic anti-epidemic measures, said Beroš.

He said that the hospitals were not under strain such was the case in the previous waves of the COVID-19 pandemic.

He called for responsible behavior of all so as to prevent an excessive burden on the healthcare system.

Vaccination reduces possible reservoirs for the virus, he said, reiterating the benefits of immunization such as fewer chances of getting seriously ill.

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ZAGREB, 5 Nov 2021 - In the past 24 hours Croatia has registered 6,932 new coronavirus cases and 36 deaths, the national COVID response team reported on Friday.

That is the highest number of new cases yet in one day since the outbreak of the pandemic. The record until now was 6,310, which was registered on Thursday.

There are currently 28,541 active cases in the country, including 1,711 hospitalised patients, with 231 hooked on ventilators.

At the same time, there are 26,362 people self-isolating.

Since the start of the epidemic in Croatia in 25 February 2020, there have been 490,074 cases and 9,400 people have died as a consequence. A total of 452,133 people have recovered, of whom 3,983 in the past 24 hours.

To date, a total of 3,155,683 people have been tested, including 15,079 in the past 24 hours..

As of Wednesday evening, a total of 3,658,686 vaccine doses have been administered, with 47.57% of the total population or 56.94% of the adult population having received at least one dose. On 4 November, 17,038 doses were administered. A total of 7,798 people received their first shot of vaccine on Thursday..

A total of 1,990,471 people have received at least one dose of a vaccine while 1,811,801 are fully vaccinated, or 53.57% of the adult population.

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November 5, 2021 - Among the new measures announced due to the rise in positive cases in the country, Davor Božinović announced that COVID certificates will be introduced as of January 4, and if the situation does not improve, they will only be valid for those who have recovered and/or vaccinated.

The National Civil Protection Headquarters announced when a new record of 6,932 new cases was broken in Croatia, that the use of covid certificates will be expanded from November 15, which will be mandatory for users and employees of public and state services, and gatherings will be further restricted from tomorrow, reports Index.hr.

From tomorrow new measures for gatherings

"To prevent the spread of the infection, it is necessary to act in three directions: to achieve as much vaccination as possible, to limit gatherings and to achieve as much security as possible when conducting business that will not be limited," said National Staff Chief Davor Bozinovic at a press conference.

He announced that new epidemiological measures would be introduced as a result, gatherings would be restricted from tomorrow, and the use of covid certificates would be expanded from 15 November.

Thus, a certificate of vaccination, recovery, or a negative test from mid-November will be mandatory for all employees of state and public services, as well as for citizens who will use their services and come to their premises. 

If the numbers continue to grow, from November 15, confirmations for cafes, shopping centers ...

The Headquarters announced on Thursday that covid certificates will be used even more widely from mid-November if the number of newly infected continues to grow, and then they will be introduced in catering facilities, such as cafes, restaurants, gyms, recreational and fitness centers indoors. 

Bozinovic announced that testing will be possible only in registered institutions and that, for a start, the cost of testing will be borne by the employer at the request of employees. 

As of January 4, certificates only for those vaccinated and those who have survived COVID-19

He pointed out that, if the situation does not improve, they will introduce covid-certificates from January 4, which will be available only to those who have been vaccinated or have recovered from COVID-19, and those who have been tested will no longer receive them.

"That gap has been left because it is enough time for all those who have not been vaccinated to get vaccinated by the beginning of next year," Bozinovic said. 

Details of new measures

With a new decision coming into force tomorrow, Saturday, November 6, the headquarters further restricted gatherings indoors and outdoors.

From tomorrow, all public gatherings indoors with more than 50 people are prohibited, except for those attended by people who have a covid-certificate, but from now on it will be mandatory to wear masks and maintain distance. 

Events above 100 participants can only be organized at open-air public gatherings if all participants have an EU digital covid-certificate. Exceptionally, events over 100 people will be able to be held outdoors only with the approval of the CNIPH, which will develop an epidemiological framework. 

All gatherings are limited to 24 hours, with the exception of cinema screenings that begin at 11 pm and wedding ceremonies where everyone has a covid confirmation. The weddings must end no later than 2 o'clock after midnight, and they will consider additional time limits, announced Božinović. 

Congresses and conferences will be able to be held provided everyone has a Covid certificate, wears a mask, and keeps a distance.

Sports competitions will be able to be held in the presence of spectators indoors only if everyone has a Covid certificate and is required to use face masks. Sports participants will also have to have certificates, but they will not have to wear masks, Bozinovic said.

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ZAGREB, 4 Nov 2021 - Health Minister Vili Beroš announced on Thursday that the national COVID-19 crisis management team would introduce a new package of measures to curb the spread of coronavirus, including wider use of COVID certificates, but there would not be a new lockdown.

"We are completely clear that we must react. A new package of measures is being hammered out and it will be presented at a press conference tomorrow. Epidemiologists will this time again put forward measures which will be agreed on with the goal of preventing the spread of the infection, a further rise in the number of new cases, and ensuring the stability of the health system," Beroš told reporters after a cabinet meeting.

He confirmed that the new measures included a wider use of COVID certificates, although he "certainly hopes that we wouldn't need a COVID certificate to go for a coffee or to a shopping center".

"There are a number of other measures with which we can try to prevent the further spread of the virus. We'll see everything tomorrow," said Beroš, noting that the new measures sought to strike a balance between restrictions and normal life.

He underscored that the citizens who had been vaccinated had been taken into account in the new package of measures.

"There cannot be a new lockdown. Those who are truly protected, those who have recovered from the infection and been vaccinated, we cannot restrict their lives," Beroš said.

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ZAGREB, 4 Nov 2021 - Five members of the government's scientific council -  Andreja Ambriović Ristov, Nenad Ban, Petra Klepac, Branko Kolarić, and Igor Rudan - warned on Thursday that measures against the COVID-19 epidemic are not sufficiently effective and should be adjusted to prevent the further rise in new infections.

"Croatia is faced with the fourth wave of the COVID-19 pandemic with a relatively low rate of vaccination compared to other EU countries. This wave is dominated by the Delta variant of the virus which is significantly more contagious than the variants in the preceding three waves, and somewhat more dangerous for all age groups. Any increase in the number of cases from week to week is a sign that the epidemiological measures in force are not sufficiently effective, so they need to be adjusted in scope to prevent the further large rise," the scientists said in a press release distancing themselves from statements by another member of the council, Gordan Lauc.

The scientists said that many countries in the world have shown with their example that it is possible to protect people's lives and preserve the healthcare system through crisis management, confidence in the profession, and the unity of society in understanding the situation, vaccinating as much of the population as possible and the timely introduction of a series of available anti-epidemic measures.

"That experience acquired is not being sufficiently applied in Croatia, while misinformation spread by incompetent people who systematically undermine the seriousness of this pandemic continues to be the main source of information for a large number of citizens. That is why over the next few weeks Croatia will record a very large number of infections, hospitalizations, and deaths and will become one of the countries in the world hardest hit by the pandemic," the scientists added. 

They called on citizens to inform themselves from experts and to adhere to measures that can prevent the spread of the contagion, urging those who haven't been vaccinated to do so and in that way help relieve the burden on the health system, which is currently in an extremely difficult situation.

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ZAGREB, 4 Nov 2021 - Health Minister Vili Beroš said on Thursday that statements by individuals about the deterioration of the health system were not true and that all COVID and non-COVID patients were being taken care of without delay.

"I wish to appeal to the media that statements by individuals about the deterioration of the health system are simply not true. Indeed, large resources are being redirected towards the treatment of COVID patients, which could have been avoided by timely vaccination. However, all COVID and non-COVID patients are being taken care of without delay," Beroš told a cabinet meeting.

National COVID-19 response team considering a possible new set of measures

The head of the national COVID-19 response team, Interior Minister Davor Božinović, said that they were considering a possible new set of measures to contain the spread of the virus. He said that interdepartmental talks were ongoing and that the public would be informed of any new measures in due course.

Beroš said that today's number of 6,310 new cases in Croatia was by far the largest daily number recorded to date.

"The causes of this surge lie in ourselves alone, in our refusal to comply with the basic epidemiological measures, and in our insufficient awareness of the benefits of vaccination," Beroš said.

7 in 10 new cases and 8 in 10 patients on ventilators unvaccinated

He said that the test positivity rate was 43.90 percent, and 233 infected people had been hospitalized in the 24 hours alone. In the past week, of the total number of new cases, 72.8 percent were not vaccinated, and 77.2 percent of the patients on ventilators were not vaccinated, he warned.

"However, the newly-awakened interest among citizens in getting vaccinated is encouraging. As many as 14,379 persons were vaccinated yesterday, the largest number in a single day to date," the health minister said.

Beroš said that 29,627 people had so far received a booster shot against COVID-19, adding that three percent of children aged 12-14 and 18.6 percent of young people aged 15-19 had been vaccinated to date.

"Insufficient compliance with the epidemiological measures and refusal to get vaccinated are the main causes of the rapid spread of the virus. We are seeing consequences at all levels of the health system," Beroš warned and once again appealed to citizens to get vaccinated.

He said that the ministry had instructed local coronavirus response teams to ensure additional capacities for medical treatment in their counties.

Božinović said that 11,578 inspections had been carried out in the past week to check compliance with the epidemiological measures. He said that the irregularities mostly concerned the provision of catering services after midnight and failure to wear face masks and maintain a physical distance in enclosed spaces. He said that 27 infringement notices, 176 written warnings, 14 oral warnings, and 17 fines had been issued in that regard.

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ZAGREB, 4 Nov 2021 - After Croatia saw a record high daily number of new coronavirus cases, GLAS parliamentary deputy Anka Mrak Taritaš on Thursday called on the government to ramp up the vaccination campaign, saying it was high time for restrictions to be imposed on the unvaccinated.

"The campaign should be further intensified, but that will not suffice. Now is the right time to tell people that they cannot get to work or to cafes and restaurants and shops if they are not vaccinated."

She criticized the ruling Croatian Democratic Union (HDZ) and the government for being lenient and failing to take serious steps to encourage people to get vaccinated.

"By next spring we will have the same number of COVID fatalities as the deaths in the Homeland War. Our COVID-19 fatality rate is among the highest in the world," Mrak Taritaš said.

Andreja Marić of the Social Democratic Party (SDP) also called for better immunization.

"People, get vaccinated, trust your doctors and experts," she said, accusing the government and the COVID-19 crisis management team of not doing their job well.

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