Czech Republic to Receive Over 1 Million Covid Vaccine Doses in March

The Czech Republic is set to receive over one million coronavirus vaccine doses in March, out of which some 700,000 doses will be from Pfizer/BioNTech, and roughly two million vaccine doses are to follow in April, Health Minister Jan Blatny told a press conference on Friday.

The aim is to administer at least 35,000 doses a day in March and 100,000 a day in April. The vaccination has been speeding up in the Czech Republic and a record 31,376 people were vaccinated on Thursday.

As of Thursday, 78 percent of the elderly over 80 who registered for vaccination have received their first dose, while 21 percent have received both doses already.

Hospitals

With hospitals in some parts of the Czech Republic filled up, the country turned to Germany and other European countries with a request for help.

Interior Minister Jan Hamacek said on Wednesday neighboring Germany has offered dozens of beds in its hospitals to treat Czech COVID-19 patients. He said 19 of them were immediately ready.

Hamacek added that Switzerland was another country ready to help with 20 beds in its hospitals while offering to take care of the transport of the patients.

Talks were also underway with Poland to provide around 200 beds.

Latest statistics

The health ministry recorded 14,554 new COVID-19 infections on Thursday, down from 14,582 cases a week earlier.

The official death toll from COVID-19 has reached 21,325, a rise of 197 from a day earlier which also includes revisions to previous days, according to ministry data.

In total, 1.299 million infections have been recorded since March 2020. Current hospitalizations stand at 8,153, and 1,735 were in serious condition.