Health Minister: Health workers refusing to get tested should not be sacked

"Any action against them should be decided by their employers in accordance with the Labour Act. However, the purpose of this measure (mandatory testing for unvaccinated health workers) is not to penalise them but to increase the level of safety in the healthcare system," Beros told reporters after the cabinet meeting.

"The employers will talk to these employees once again. I don't think they should be dismissed from work, they can be given a warning. Of course, if the work process should suffer or if it becomes certain that the lives of patients are at risk, hospital directors will have some other options available as well," he added.

Only several dozen unvaccinated health workers have refused to undergo testing since 4 October when testing became mandatory for unvaccinated hospital staff and those who have not recovered from COVID-19.

Beros said that the mass vaccination points would remain in place for a while longer, even though there has been a drop in interest among the public, to make it possible for people to get vaccinated after work.

As for the start of mass vaccination with a third dose, the European Medicines Agency has recommended vaccinating immunocompromised people, and when the administration of a third dose will begin in Croatia will be decided by the Croatian Public Health Institute, Beros said.