ZAGREB, 22 July, 2021 - In the last 24 hours, of 3,929  tests performed for coronavirus, 4.5%, that is 179, have turned out to be positive, Croatia's national COVID-19 crisis management team reported on Thursday.

Currently, there are 918 active cases, of whom 124 are hospitalised patients, including 14 placed on ventilators. Also, 3,186 people are self-isolating.

In the last 24 hours, there has been one more COVID-related death, bringing the death toll to 8,245.

Since the first registered case of the infection with this novel virus in Croatia on 25 February 2020, as many as 2.231 million persons have been tested and 362,129 people have caught the virus. Of them, 352,966 have recovered to date, including 98 recoveries in the last 24 hours.

Vaccine roll-out developments

Croatia has to date administered nearly three million vaccine doses. Thus, 1.604 million people have received at least one dose of vaccines against COVID-19 and 1,401,029 have fully been vaccinated (1,360,822 have been double-jabbed plus 40,207 who have received the single-dose Jannsen vaccine), and this makes up 41.614% of the adult population.

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July 22, 2021 - With the overall struggle to get Croatians to take the coronavirus vaccine, it is often overlooked regarding Roma people COVID-19 vaccination in Croatia.

Despite coronavirus infections being low at the moment, the situation is tense. On July 5, as TCN reported, only 35% of the Croatian population was vaccinated as the Delta strain spreads globally and in the country.

"Unfortunately, we aren't satisfied with the percentage of vaccinated people we hoped to have. We all wanted to vaccinate more than 50 percent of the total Croatian population during June, but sadly our numbers in that regard are much lower. Only about 35 percent of the total Croatian population has been vaccinated, which isn't enough for them to be calm and to be able to live according to the old normal,'' said epidemiologist Dijana Mayer back then. This was punished with the Croatian coast no longer being in the green, and without bigger vaccination interest, things can turn red. As TCN wrote, there are 5-6 Positive Cases at Split Airport every day, and new measures are introduced to British tourists as the Delta strain is booming there (but in a less fatal manner because of vaccines). Stricter measures, in general, can be excepted by the end of the month in Croatia too.

Fortunately, things got better in July. As reported on Wednesday, „Croatia administered nearly three million vaccine doses. Thus, 1.6 million people have received at least one dose of vaccines against COVID-19, and 1,388,674 have fully been vaccinated (1,349,652 have been double-jabbed plus 39,022 who have received a single-dose Jannsen vaccine), and this makes up 41.24% of the adult population“.

But, disinformation about COVID-19 vaccines is vividly spread (just as disinformation about COVID-19), leaving Croatian fact-checking site Faktograf knee-deep in debunking work. Many Croatians sadly believe the fake news of the anti-vaxxers, and the situation culminated to the point where the Croatian officials (as officials in many other EU countries that also struggle with anti-vax propaganda) seriously discuss obligatory vaccination. Will it happen? Some politicians are up for it, others no, but overall, the situation is uncertain as the fourth infection wave approaches, and the season could potentially be in jeopardy in mid-August, as 24 Sata writes.

COVID-19 vaccine © Pixabay

In summary, there are currently more vaccines in Croatia than there are people interested in. It's hard to believe how things progressed from the start of the year when we witnessed a delay in vaccine shipments, outrage by the public when people such as Zagreb University Rector Damir Boras received the vaccine ahead of time and schedule. From the malfunctioning Cijepi se (Vaccinate yourself) website where you had to register for an appointment (which took forever to get) to a family doctor being able to sign you up, all the way to be able to take a shot without an appointment today, vaccines truly became accessible for everyone. There were even buses bringing vaccines and performing vaccinations in remote villages. So vaccines are for everyone to take, but is it really so?

Nothing in the world is perfect, and neither is Croatia. From time to time, we can see that some groups in Croatian society do get discriminated against or suffer negative stereotypes. For example, with significant progress in accepting the LGBTQ community, sadly homophobic attacks still happen. The tensions with the Serbian minority vary from the day-to-day political agenda, but it is safe to say no one has it worse than the Roma people in Croatia.

As TCN previously wrote, following the 2020 report by Human Rights House in Zagreb, Roma people in Croatia are still facing many obstacles in achieving their rights, which include employment, access to services, and adequate living standards, and there is still segregation in the education system too. Either perceived as thieves, criminals, beggars or completely ignored in Croatia, the question of how many Roma people in Croatia received the vaccine and how many Roma people want the vaccine in the first place, can't be left aside, as it shows how much the vaccine rollout truly is fair for every citizen in the country.

Disinformation crippled 80% of those willing to get the vaccine

Veljko Kajtazi, a member of the Croatian parliament, elected as a representative of the Roma community, says that official research of percentage of vaccinated Roma people hasn't been conducted, but he frequently goes „to the field“, and sees that the situation isn't good.

„If 45% of the Croatian population is vaccinated, I can say that Roma people are a very small percentage of that number“, commented Kajtazi, then on a relevant number of vaccinated people.

He supports the talk of obligatory vaccines and finds disinformation and fake news regarding vaccines to be the cause of low interest.

Veljko Kajtazi, screenshot / Hrvatska radiotelevizija

„Roma people have a very social culture, love gatherings, and live in big families. When the pandemic started, I cooperated with authorities in ensuring that social distancing measures are respected in Roma settlements and that we educate people on the dangers of coronavirus“, recalled Kajtazi.

While Roma people can be found living anywhere, the majority is often ghettoized. An example is in Zagreb, where the Kozari Bok neighborhood on the east side of the city is famous for its big Roma population. When looking outside of the capital city, there are many Roma villages and settlements which count more people than other Croatian villages.

One such place is Piškorovec in Međimurje, which the Lupiga news site referred to as „the biggest Croatian ghetto“. Their article detailed both living in Piškorovec and tensions with the nearby town of Čakovec underlining incidents and division between Roma and Croatians (as Roma People are often perceived as thieves or beggars).

„Last year 80% of Roma people wanted to take the vaccine, but today, they are scared and believe various conspiracy theories. People are not informed, and social networks spread so much disinformation“, Kajtazi pictured how wishing for a vaccine turned sideways.

In the end, he added that he is regularly in contact with the government and institutions to provide information on vaccines to the community. Katja also hopes the vaccine buses will come to Roma villages too.

Questions for HZJZ

The lack of information, geographical isolation, and the overall achievement of social rights (such as health insurance) like other Croatian citizens that the Human Rights House in Zagreb expressed in their report left a lot of open questions regarding Roma people vaccination. Particularly, are there any statistics on how many people vaccinated that the health officials might have, what is the mood towards vaccines in Roma communities in their view, and can buses come to isolated areas to vaccinate Roma people? The inquiry was sent to the Health Ministry and to the Croatian Public Health Institute (HZJZ). Health Ministry very quickly forwarded the inquiry to the Croatian Public Health Institute (HZJZ) as these questions are part of their domain. The health ministry even forwarded the questions directly to the HZJZ headmaster Krunoslav Capak himself and other close associates on e-mail addresses not visible on the HZJZ website. But, HZJZ hasn't responded yet. Whether I tried to remind them and ask when can they answer via e-mail or phone calls, none left a response (although a phone call with HZJZ PR service confirmed there are experts in HZJZ that deal with the health of vulnerable social groups, which includes Roma People).

When the answer that can be expected for the moment remains unknown, but TCN will publish HZJZ's response when we receive it.

In the meantime, as we can see, despite vaccine skepticism being strong, there is nevertheless a slow but steady daily rise of vaccinated people in Croatia. 

Let's hope for the sake of public health that disinformation and fake news that turn people away from the vaccines will lower its influence on all the cultural groups and identities you can find in Croatia.

Editor's note: HZJZ response

Learn more about travelling to Croatia during the COVID-19 pandemic on our TC page.

For more about COVID-19 in Croatia, follow TCN's dedicated page.

ZAGREB, 21 July, 2021 - In the last 24 hours, of 4,205  tests performed for coronavirus, 4.5%, that is 191 have turned out to be positive, Croatia's national COVID-19 crisis management team reported on Wednesday.

Currently, there are 838 active cases, of whom 122 are hospitalised patients including 13 placed on ventilators. Also, 3,409 people are self-isolating.

In the last 24 hours, there has been one more COVID-related death, bringing the death toll to 8,244.

Since the first registered case of the infection with this novel virus in Croatia on 25 February 2020, as many as 2.2 million tests have been conducted, showing that 361,950 people have caught the virus. Of them, 352,868 have recovered to date, including 91 recoveries in the last 24 hours.

Vaccine roll-out developments

Croatia has to date administered nearly three million vaccine doses. Thus, 1.6 million people have received at least one dose of vaccines against COVID-19, and 1,388,674 have fully been vaccinated (1,349,652 have been double-jabbed plus 39,022 who have received a single-dose Jannsen vaccine), and this makes up 41.24% of the adult population.

For more about COVID-19 in Croatia, follow TCN's dedicated page.

ZAGREB, 20 July, 2021 - In the past 24 hours, 146 coronavirus cases and three deaths have been registered in Croatia, the national COVID-19 crisis management team said on Monday.

There are 739 active cases, including 121 hospitalised patients, 11 of whom are on ventilators, while 3,573 persons are self-isolating.

To date, Croatia has registered 361,759 coronavirus cases, including 8,243 deaths and 325,777 recoveries, 89 of which in the past 24 hours.

To date, Croatia has tested 2,223,324 persons for the virus, including 4,612 in the past 24 hours.

Also, 2,930,768 vaccines have been administered and 39.3% of the population has been vaccinated, including 47.2% of the adult population.

For more about COVID-19 in Croatia, follow TCN's dedicated page.

ZAGREB, 19 July 2021 - Croatia has registered 18 new coronavirus cases and two COVID-related deaths in the last 24 hours, the national coronavirus crisis management team said on Monday.

The number of active cases in the country currently stands at 685. Among them are 125 people who are receiving hospital treatment and 14 of them are on ventilators.

Since 25 February 2020, when the first case was confirmed in Croatia, a total of 361,613 people have been registered as having contracted the novel virus, of whom 8,240 have died and 352,688 have recovered, including 75 in the last 24 hours. Currently, 4,029 people are in self-isolation.

To date, 2,218,712 people have been tested for COVID-19, including 1,543 in the last 24 hours.

By 18 July, 2,917,001 vaccine doses had been administered, with 39.2 percent of the total population or 47.1 percent of the adult population having been vaccinated.  A total of 1,589,579 people have received at least one dose, of whom 1,364,798 have been fully inoculated (1,327,422 have been vaccinated with both doses and 37,376 have received the single-dose Jannsen vaccine), which makes up 40.54 percent of the adult population.

For all you need to know about coronavirus specific to Croatia, including travel, border, and quarantine rules, as well as the locations of vaccination points and testing centers across the country, make sure to bookmark our dedicated COVID-19 section and select your preferred language.

ZAGREB, 18 July, 2021 - In the last 24 hours, out of 3,469 tests performed for coronavirus, 107, that is 3.0%, have returned positive, Croatia's national COVID-19 crisis management team reported on Sunday.

There are now 744 active cases, and of them 121 are hospitalised patients, including 12 placed on ventilators.

The COVID-related death toll has increased by two to 8,238 in the last 24 hours.

Since the first registered case of the infection with this novel virus in Croatia on 25 February 2020, more than 2,217,000 tests have been conducted showing that 361,595 people have caught the virus, and of them 352,613 have recovered to date, including 84 recoveries in the last 24 hours.

Vaccine rollout: Over 2.9 million COVID vaccine doses administered to date

To date, 2,915,530 million vaccines against this infection have been administered, and 47.1% of the adult population has been inoculated.

Until 17 July, 1,588,753 persons were vaccinated, and of them 1,363,876 were fully vaccinated (1,326,777 people were double-jabbed plus 37,099 who received the single-dose Jannsen vaccine). Thus, 40.52% of the adult citizens have fully been vaccinated.

For more on COVID-19 in Croatia, follow TCN's dedicated page.

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ZAGREB, 17 July 2021 - In the last 24 hours, out of 3,834 tests performed for coronavirus, 139, that is 3.6%, have returned positive, Croatia's national COVID-19 crisis management team reported on Saturday.

There are now 723 active cases, and 112 of them are hospitalized patients, including 12 placed on ventilators.

The COVID-related death toll has increased by two to 8,236 in the last 24 hours.

Since the first registered case of the infection with this novel virus in Croatia on 25 February 2020, more than 2.2 million tests have been conducted, showing that 361,488 have caught the virus, and of them, 352,529 have recovered to date, including 99 recoveries in the last 24 hours.

Vaccine rollout: Two in five adults fully vaccinated

To date, more than 2.9 million vaccines against this infection have been administered, and 47% of the adult population have been inoculated.

Until 16 July, 1,584,407 were vaccinated, and 1,357,261 of them were fully vaccinated (1,321,943 people were double-jabbed plus 35,318 who received the single-dose Jannsen vaccine).  Thus every two in five Croatians (40.32%) have fully been vaccinated.

For all you need to know about coronavirus specific to Croatia, including travel, border, and quarantine rules, as well as the locations of vaccination points and testing centers across the country, make sure to bookmark our dedicated COVID-19 section and select your preferred language.

ZAGREB, 16 July 2021 - Prime Minister Andrej Plenković said on Friday that the importance of vaccination against COVID-19 must not be downplayed, appealing to people to get vaccinated.

"I strongly reject any downplaying of COVID-19," Plenković told reporters during a visit to Farkaševac, a municipality in the northeast of Zagreb County, when asked to comment on the statement by President Zoran Milanović that it was not politically intelligent to put pressure on half the population to get vaccinated.

The prime minister said that the COVID-19 crisis had so far cost Croatia HRK 34 billion and that the matter should be addressed seriously. "This is very important. One should not downplay it but should try and help get as many people as possible to get vaccinated."

Asked why he did not condemn statements by Gordan Lauc, a member of the government's Science Council, who has publicly downplayed the benefits of vaccination, Plenković said that Lauc was speaking on his own behalf and not on behalf of the government.

"He is speaking on his own behalf, certainly not on behalf of the Council. Only I can speak on behalf of the Council after it has convened. Do not attribute to the government something that someone says on their own behalf," Plenković said.

The Council members have voluntarily decided to make their own contribution, and the cabinet members have made it clear to them that they can speak in public only on their own behalf and in line with the general agreement of the Council, he added.

"The government can in no way be connected with anyone's statements, We distance ourselves from such statements," Plenković concluded.

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ZAGREB, 16 July 2021 - Prime Minister Andrej Plenković said on Friday that Croatia had not yet achieved the target of sufficient number of people being vaccinated and warned of the spread of the Delta variant throughout Europe.

The prime minister once again called on everyone to get vaccinated while announcing that all those without healthcare cover could be vaccinated free.

"We have 46.8% vaccinated with one dose. We are gradually coming to 50%, while 39% of the total population have been double-jabbed. That is still not enough," said Plenković at the start of the cabinet meeting, warning of the fast spread of a much more contagious, Delta variant in Europe.

He underscored that vaccination protects against the most serious cases of illness and that those who are not vaccinated are more susceptible to contagion.

"For those who are not inoculated, one in 44 infected persons is likely to die," said Plenković, claiming that that remaining unvaccinated is an enormous and unnecessary risk.

Plenković once again called on citizens to get vaccinated, particularly elderly persons and those with chronic diseases, recalling that 8,233 people have died of COVID in Croatia and 92% of them were above 60.

He recalled that the government had done everything for the economy to not cave in during the coronavirus crisis, lay-offs, bankruptcies...

"This is a challenge and threat in which individual attitudes are insufficient. This is a situation in which we depend on each other and the more citizens are protected, the better," concluded Plenković and announced the possibility of free vaccination in Croatia for all citizens regardless of whether they have healthcare cover or not and which part of the world they come from.

"Croatian citizens can come to Croatia and get vaccinated free, and others can do so too. We have that many doses available and want to protect whoever wants to be protected," he said, adding that that was a contribution to global efforts to suppress COVID-19.

Health Minister Vili Beroš said that the government's decision to this effect enabled all people residing in Croatia, no matter what their citizenship is and whether they are covered by healthcare insurance or not, to get vaccinated free of charge.

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ZAGREB, 15 July 2021 - In the last 24 hours, of 3,909  tests performed for coronavirus, 3.5%, that is 139, have turned out to be positive, Croatia's national COVID-19 crisis management team reported on Thursday.

The daily death toll was zero. To date, there have been 8,233 COVID-related deaths in the country

Currently, there are 653 active cases, including 110 hospitalized patients and of the nine are placed on ventilators.

Since 25 February 2020, when Croatia reported its first registered case of the infection with coronavirus, more than 2.2 million tests have been conducted, showing that 361,218 people have caught this novel virus. Of them, 352,332 have recovered to date, including 81 in the last 24 hours.

As many as 2,870,866 COVID vaccine doses have been administered. Thus, 1,569,371 Croatians have received at least one dose, and of them, 1,301,495 have been double-jabbed plus 32,509 people who have been inoculated with the single-dose Jannsen vaccine, (nearly 40% of the adult population).

For all you need to know about coronavirus specific to Croatia, including travel, border, and quarantine rules, as well as the locations of vaccination points and testing centers across the country, make sure to bookmark our dedicated COVID-19 section and select your preferred language.