Slovenia to launch a new vaccination driven due to Omicron surge

Immunization will be available from 8 am to 8 pm without making an appointment at the usual locations, in Covid hospitals, at family doctors' and dentists' offices, and mobile units will be out in the field.

Similar to the campaign in mid-December, this latest campaign will include the participation of NGOs, pensioners' associations, Red Cross and other humanitarian associations, Poklukar told a press conference in Ljubljana.

Currently, 73 percent of hospitalized patients are vaccinated as are 85 percent of those in a serious condition in intensive care units, he said.

Vaccination in Slovenia is at about 56.7 percent of the total population, or 1.95 million people who are fully vaccinated. Poklukar believes that the poor immunization level could result in 400,000 people having to be in quarantine which would paralyse the economy and social life, adding that the health system is under particular stress because of the epidemic.

He added that further restrictions are being considered due to the hike in numbers in this fifth wave, which is expects to climax at the end of January or early February.

In the past 24 hours, 2,496 new cases of the novel coronavirus were detected in Slovenia and every second test has come back positive, which is 150 percent more than seven days ago.