Firms able to vaccinate up to one million people

Firms in the Czech Republic would manage to vaccinate up to one million people against COVID-19, Confederation of Industry (SP) Vice-President Jan Rafaj said at the Tripartite Council meeting.

The council, which brings together representatives of the government, trade unions and employers, met today to debate further steps and measures in the fight with the coronavirus epidemic.

"Firms are offering help not only with testing, but also with the vaccination. We have the capacity to inoculate up to one million people thanks to the company GPs and private healthcare services. The government should cooperate with us now already so that we were prepared," Rafaj said.

Former health minister Jan Blatny said in January that firms might start vaccinating their employees from late spring. He added that he counted with the establishment of the company vaccination centres.

The Confederation told CTK that it had agreed with Blatny on the firms' involvement in the inoculation against COVID-19 as of May. The Confederation leadership reiterated that a number of firms were interested in vaccinating their staff and were ready to organise it themselves.

Representatives of employers called on the government to release detailed vaccination plans at the previous Tripartite Council meeting in early February. They wanted to know the exact dates for particular age groups to be inoculated and when firms could start vaccinating. Confederation president Jaroslav Hanak stressed then that firms should start with the vaccination as soon as the most threatened groups received the vaccine.

At present, the elderly ever 70 years and patients with selected chronic diseases can register for the vaccination. Moreover, police officers, firefighters and social services workers who help their clients at home can register. As of April 14, the registration system is to open to people aged 65 to 69 years.

Source: ČTK