By: V4 Agency
Czech Prime Minister Andrej Babis viewed many inoculation centres while on visit to Serbia.
Accompanied by a team of healthcare experts, Czech Prime Minister Andrej Babis travelled to Belgrade yesterday to inquire about problems regarding the coronavirus pandemic and, more specifically, about Serbia’s experiences with their mass vaccination campaign. During his few hours in Serbia, Mr Babis also met with Prime Minister Ana Brnabic and President Aleksandar Vucic.
The Czech Republic is considering procurement of the Russian anti-coronavirus vaccine, but are still waiting for the European Medicines Agency (EMA) to approve Sputnik V. According to PM Babis, securing an order for an as yet unapproved vaccine, could give them an advantage when the licencing decision finally comes through.
Serbian Health Minister Mirsad Derlek says production of Sputnik V will begin in the country by the end of the year.
In the meantime, the Czech government shut down three regions in the country due to the severity of the pandemic. The counties of Cheb and Sokolov in western Bohemia and Trutnov in the north are experiencing three to four times the number of daily infections than the national average, and hospitals no longer have sufficient capacity to care for them locally, so patients are being transported to healthcare facilities in the greater region. Residents of these counties may only leave their himes with exceptional permits, while non-residents are banned from entering.