Croatian Institute of Public Health director Krunoslav Capak said on Wednesday that 9,750 doses of Pfizer's COVID-19 vaccine would arrive on Saturday, while the second tranche would arrive on the 28th, followed by bigger and bigger batches every week.

By the end of March 2021, we will have received a little under 300,000 doses of Pfizer’s vaccine as well as Moderna’s vaccine after its registration on January 6, Capak said at a press conference, adding that Moderna had announced that it would start dispatching the vaccine two days after the European Commission confirmed its registration.

The first doses will be used on medical staff who come into contact with COVID patients and are at risk of infection as well as nursing home staff and residents. People over 65 and older people with chronic diseases will be vaccinated in the second stage. This Sunday, the vaccine will be distributed to counties which will then distribute it to nursing homes and doctors.

Asked how many doses would be necessary to vaccinate all priority cases, Capak said 80,000 doses for the first jab and 80,000 for the second. “We don’t have the name of the person who will get vaccinated first, but we do know that the first to be vaccinated will be some of the oldest nursing home residents in a number of cities.”

Speaking of media vaccination campaign in the media, Capak said it was aimed at appealing to people for social responsibility and solidarity because by getting vaccinated, they also protected others, notably the most vulnerable groups.

“This is a continuation of the campaign in the media. We began it with professionals and vaccination experts,” he said, adding that the campaign would last a year.

Capak said that not one vaccine had been developed as fast as the COVID vaccine, adding that enormous resources had been invested in it, that it was developed under all scientific and expert processes, and that it was safe and highly effective.