Health Minister Vili Beros said on Thursday that 20,603 Croatians had been vaccinated against Covid to date, while the head of the Croatian Institute of Public Health (HZJZ), Krunoslav Capak, said he expected a considerable share of the population to be inoculated by the middle of this year.

Speaking at a cabinet meeting, Beros said that of the 20,603 vaccinated persons, 7,611 were doctors and other medical professionals (37%) and 11,569 (56%) were beneficiaries of old-age care homes.

Apart from the continuing decline in the number of new hospitalised cases and active cases, we are also happy to see data on vaccination, Beros said.

In terms of the number o vaccinated persons per 100 inhabitants, Croatia ranks fifth in the European Union, and 12th in the world in terms of the portion of the vaccinated persons in the whole population, the minister said, also presenting data on the rollout of vaccination in the quake-hit Sisak-Moslavina County.

Both Beros and Capak welcomed the approval of the Moderna vaccine.

Capak said he hoped the Oxford vaccination would be certified by the end of January.

Croatia has ordered a million doses of the Moderna vaccine, plus 2.7 million doses of the Oxford vaccine.

Capak explained that the vaccine developed by Moderna was easiest to store considering the logistical conditions.He said that side-effects so far reported during the vaccination in Croatia were mild.