Over a fifth of Slovenia's population has been vaccinated against Covid-19 so far, the government said on Tuesdays, adding that new vaccine shipments "that are on the way" most of the country's 2m population could be immunized by the end of June. Pročitaj više

This would allow Slovenia to lift all coronavirus restrictions and completely open up to tourism.

Over the past 24 hours, 807 new cases of the coronavirus infection have been confirmed in Slovenia, with the percentage of positive tests being 22.1 percent, and there have been seven Covid-related deaths, the Slovenian government said on Tuesday.

Compared to a week ago, when 14.1 percent of tests were positive, the number of new daily infections is slightly higher now, and the situation in hospitals is more difficult, but according to estimates, the third wave of the epidemic could end in two months.

The rolling seven-day average of daily new cases has increased to 694, there are 649 Covid patients in hospitals, 161 of whom require intensive care, the health ministry said on Tuesday.

However, thanks to the 11-day lockdown and an improved epidemiological situation, since the beginning of last week, the government has again allowed movement between regions, outdoor seating in hospitality establishments, hotels have partially reopened, and sports activities and matches can take place without spectators.

A government official responsible for vaccination denied that the government had already ordered the Russian Sputnik V vaccine, telling the Pop TV channel that EU member countries could use that vaccine only with the approval of the European Medicines Agency (EMA), which has not yet inspected the vaccine production facilities in Russia.

Since this is one of the preconditions for approval of Sputnik V, the unnamed government official told Pop TV that the Russian vaccine should not be expected to be used in EU countries before the end of June this year.

The Slovenian Olympic Committee confirmed on Tuesday that Slovenian participants in the Olympic Games, held in Tokyo this year, would be vaccinated on Friday.