President to Use Her International Contacts for Vaccine to Be Produced also in Slovakia

Bratislava, February 4 (TASR) – I’ll use all my international contacts to make the production of a vaccine against COVID-19 in Slovakia a reality, President Zuzana Caputova posted on a social network on Thursday, adding that she discussed this possibility with Health Minister Marek Krajci (OLaNO).

According to her, to produce vaccines in Slovakia and increase their availability must be a strategic goal.

“The current situation with their shortage and the emergence of new virus mutations show that we need to be better prepared for the future. A common European purchase of vaccines was necessary at the time of their development but we need to prepare quickly for the situation where we can produce the same vaccines in Slovakia using our capacities,” said Caputova, adding that Slovakia has necessary experts as well as production facilities, which can apply for a production license, subject to modernisation.

The head of state also discussed with the health minister the state of vaccination and its management. The president thinks that a comprehensive and long-term vaccination project goes beyond the Health Ministry and it would therefore be beneficial, also following the example of other countries, to consider one central and supra-ministerial management point of the vaccination operation.