November the 10th, 2021 - Three Slavonian villages have managed to avoid the novel coronavirus completely with not one single case reported since the very beginning of the pandemic at the beginning of 2020.

As Poslovni Dnevnik writes, while what is being referred to as the fourth wave of the coronavirus pandemic is continuing to break records, a year and a half after the appearance of COVID-19 there is a well and truly "corona free" zone in certain parts of Eastern Croatia, Glas Slavonije writes.

In three Slavonian villages in the municipality of Levanjska Varos, more precisely in Paucje, Milinac and Ratkov Dol, so far not one single coronavirus positive person has been recorded. These three Slavonian villages, living connected to the slopes of Dilj and Krndija, number about 30, and Paucje boasts around 50 residents.

For example, a mere macadam road leads to Ratkovo Dol, from Milinac you can only go to the Cenkovo, and on the side is Paucje, from where you can only go to Borovik. There are just over 40 households in these three Slavonian villages, mostly populated by the elderly.

“There has never been a case of coronavirus in those three villages because they don’t have as many young people going out and about, they don’t have a lot of contact with areas where more people gather together. In addition, there are no bus lines to these three villages, only a school bus picks local kids up to take them to school,'' explained the mayor of Levanjska Varos, Slavko Tidlacka.

In these three Slavonian villages there are no shops, cafes, associations, social activities, wedding festivities, sporting events, nor are there any real places and occasions for gatherings.

"These three villages are supplied with basic groceries via a mobile shop, which also reduces the possibility of contracting the infection. All this indicates that people are in some way isolated, and thus protected,'' added Tidlacka. In these villages, 70 percent of the population is elderly, with less contact and movement, and this reduces the possibility of exposure and infection.

Eva Maricek also confirmed for local portal Glas Slavonije that the novel coronavirus has never found its way into Milinac.

“We feel safe here, but I fear for four children and ten grandchildren living in larger places. We're a big family, but so far only my daughter's husband from Nasice has had the virus. My husband and I were vaccinated, with Pfizer, twice, I got the vaccine in Djakovo, and he managed to get vaccinated in the local clinic in Varos, he isn't a well man, so it was necessary,'' explained Eva, adding that if you don’t have a car in that area, it’s hard to get by.

"There have been no buses running here for years, and the mobile shop is no longer coming to the village. Well, not even the coronavirus will bother coming to Milinac!'' said Eva Maricek jokingly. When asked how a typical day goes in Milinac, she answers: "A little bit of doing the garden, a bit of tending to the pigs…"

Ana-Marija Petrovic also confirmed that Paucje is free of coronavirus even after a year and a half of the ongoing global pandemic.

"We're surrounded by pure nature, and we're careful," said Petrovic.

The entire municipality of Levanjska Varos with its 11 settlements without any infected people continued until October 2020, quite some months after the virus conquered the world. In the meantime, the coronavirus, as was confirmed the principal Natasa Sego, did manage to find its way into the only school in the area, which has just 45 students.

While isolation, a lack of transport, few gatherings and as such few chances to get exposed to the virus all go in the favour of these villages, perhaps the famed Croatian ''cure all'' of rakija also has something to do with it? Who knows...

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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, 8 Nov, 2021 - Interest in getting vaccinated increased in the City of Split over this weekend after a surge in COVID numbers forced the authorities to step up anti-epidemic measures.

The head of the Split-Dalmatia County office of public health, Željka Karin, told Hina on Monday, that over the weekend, as many as 1,800 people were given a shot against coronavirus.

In the first two hours since the start of inoculation on Monday morning, as many as 410 people got vaccinated in the Spaladium Arena hall, and two thirds of them got a first jab.

There are several locations in the county where residents can get a shot against coronavirus. Karin said that latest high COVID numbers were probably the reason why Split residents decided to get immunised.

Some of those freshly vaccinated said that they had decided to get a jab after they had been provided with enough information about vaccines and some said that they would like to have a normal life and that COVID certificates would make it possible.

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ZAGREB, 8 Nov, 2021 - As COVID hospitalisation numbers are increasing, Zagreb hospitals are expanding their COVID capacities while reducing services that are not essential.

The director of the Sisters of Mercy Hospital in Zagreb, Davor Vagić, told Hina that the hospital is expanding its COVID ward by an extra 12 beds plus eight more intensive care units.

There are currently 60 COVID patients at the hospital and together with the emergency ward, there will be about 100 beds available for patients.

He added that non-essential treatment would be reduced by 25%.

Vagić said that about 550 employees at the hospital had received a third dose of vaccine and immunisation would continue at the the same pace.

The KBC Hospital in Zagreb will also increase its COVID capacities from 113 to 129 and currently there are 108 COVID patients at that university hospital, 17 of whom are on ventilators, the hospital's assistant director Milivoj Novak said.

The Dubrava hospital currently has 135 hospitalised COVID patients and 21 are in ICU and they are all on ventilators.

A Health Ministry task force has recommended that all hospitals expand their COVID capacities.

The Zagreb-based Sveti Duh hospital is currently caring for about 30 COVID patients.

The hospital's head, Mladen Bušić, told Hina that elective surgeries had been reduced to some extent due to acute treatment of COVID-19.

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ZAGREB, 8 Nov, 2021 - Croatia has logged 1,242 new COVID cases in the past 24 hours and 46 people have died as a consequence, the national COVID-19 response team reported on Monday.

There are currently 1,888 hospitalised patients, 246 of whom are on ventilators.

There are currently 29,265 active cases in the country and 24,255 people are self-isolating.

To date, a total of 3,184,660 tests have been conducted, including 3,703 in the past 24 hours.

Since the outbreak of the pandemic, a total of 502,569 people have become infected with the novel coronavirus and 9,546 people have died as a consequence while 463,758 people have recovered, including 3,931 in the past 24 hours.

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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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November 7, 2021 - There is a growing number of Russians vaccinated in Croatia since the Russian Sputnik vaccine is yet to be approved by the European Union. 

Russian citizens flocked to a small vaccination point in Zagreb's Kajzerica neighborhood on Tuesday of last week, reports Jutarnji List.

While vaccinations were done at that location from 8 am to 6 pm, those in line were redirected to the Fair around noon because Kajzerica could not handle the number of people. At that time, a decision was made that vaccination without notice in Kajzerica would be allowed only to Croatian citizens and foreigners residing in Croatia.

The interest in vaccination at the HZZO vaccination point was so great that the workers had to go out and look for Croatian citizens, who, as assumed, have a vaccination advantage over Russians in the country. 

"When I came to work in the morning, there was a large line of Russian citizens. They came even before we opened and waited. They started coming last week," said Kristina Tomašić, the head of the Kajzerica vaccination location. She emphasized that there is only one doctor who vaccinates, so there are big crowds.

The main reason for Russians coming to this Zagreb neighborhood is that Sputnik, the Russian vaccine, has not been approved by the European Union, so it is impossible to issue a Covid-certificate necessary for work or travel.

"Our vaccine is not approved in the world, and that's why I'm here. By the way, I am a sailor, and I need the vaccine for work," said Aleksandar (30). He came to Zagreb from Novgorod, and this will be his second dose of the European vaccine. He was first injected in France. Aleksandar revealed that he came to Zagreb alone and that no agency mediated his arrival.

Viktoria (22) came to Zagreb from Moscow, and like Aleksandar, she wants to have the approved vaccine. She plans to travel the world and can't at the moment without self-isolation.

"Today, I will take the first dose, but I will return to Zagreb for the second. I want to travel but not be in self-isolation. That's why I'm here," said Viktoria. She will stay in Zagreb for four days and stated that she came alone.

"I read about agencies organizing group visits. But I didn’t choose that. I don't even know the people who came here through an agency," Viktoria added.

Dmitri (35) also came to Croatia on his own. He went on a long journey by car but was accompanied by friends on his travels. 

"I am here because I need a European vaccine. I have already taken two doses of Sputnik, and this will be my first vaccine," reveals Dmitri. He added that of all the places, he decided on Croatia because "it is easy to get vaccinated there."

In the end, Dmitri did not get vaccinated at the Kajzerica location. Namely, Russian citizens were redirected to the Fair around noon due to the crowds. When the news spread that they must have at least residence in Croatia to be vaccinated at the Kajzerica location, they were visibly dissatisfied. Finally, however, they headed to the largest vaccination point in Zagreb - the fair. 

"I asked them to move there. We are too small a point for so many people. Our citizens are a priority in vaccination because that is the only way we can improve the epidemiological picture," explained Tomšić. She warned that they had only one vaccination room, and they could not grant the 15-minute observation period if people got sick after getting the jab. 

"They have to stay after receiving the vaccine. What if they fall when they come out?" Tomšić wondered. She said that the workers went out and looked for Croatian citizens who had come to get vaccinated at one point.

Tomšić said that vaccinating foreign citizens without residence in Croatia will not be prevented at their checkpoint in advance. All subsequent decisions will be made daily, depending on whether their capacity can withstand such requests.

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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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