Prymula: "No Mass Events Until June"

According to the former Minister of Health and former chairman of the Czech Vaccinological Society, large mass events will not take place until June 2021.

Moreover, he recommends using the premises of the field hospital in Letňany for vaccinating people.

“The field hospital in Letňany is the most suitable for a large vaccination center. There won’t be any football matches with mass spectators or concerts until the end of June,” Prymula told CNN Prima NEWS.

He also said he expected that most people can go back to work in June if the necessary safety precautions are respected, including in public transport.

“Personally, I’d prefer to make the wearing of masks mandatory in public transport.”

Prymula added it would take at least 60% of the population to develop an immunity against coronavirus. He believes this could take up to the autumn of 2021.

In the Czech Republic, vaccination against coronavirus began on 27 December.

Prime Minister Andrej Babis was the first to get the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine at the Central Military Hospital in Prague. Emilie Repikova, 95, a World War Two veteran, was also one of the first to be inoculated.

• In the first stage, those at high risk of infection or serious illness will be vaccinated, including anyone over 65 years of age, and patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, high blood pressure, heart disease, severe obesity, cancer, kidney or liver disease, severe diabetes, and those who have received transplants. This group also includes medical staff in intensive care units, emergency rooms, rescue services, and lung departments, as well as hygienists, lab technicians, and staff and clients of social services.
• The second group will include key workers, including general practitioners, dentists, pharmacists, firefighters and police officers, staff in the energy sector, members of the government, and crisis staff.
• The third stage of the vaccination will be open to the general public, according to interest. According to the forecast of the Ministry of Health, vaccination of the general public (stage three) should begin in May 2021.