Slovakia ordered more than it required. More vaccines will be available later this year.
Slovakia has increased its vaccine orders and expects to receive additional postponed packages with signed contracts later this year.
Vaccination interest is low in Slovakia, with only 51% of people fully vaccinated by May 2022. If the vaccines expire, 2.5 million will be discarded, costing nearly €151 million.
Reducing the severity of the consequences
Slovakia would lose millions of euros in unused vaccines. According to health minister Vladimr Lengvarsk, negotiations with other countries, which are currently underway with Belize and Palestine, could mitigate the impact of disinterest (OaNO nom.). Three other countries should also be interested.
In an official letter, the minister stated that the European Commission (EC) is reconsidering the vaccine contract with Pfizer.
Poland and Romania quickly followed suit, attempting to renegotiate vaccine contracts.
“I believe the Pfizer contract can be restructured to meet our requirements,” said Lengvarsk.