Sasko: My Ambition to Keep Explaining Why Vaccination Is Needed

Bratislava, 10 September (TASR) – My ambition is to patiently explain to people why vaccination is important, Health Minister Kamil Sasko (Voice–SD) stated in response to journalists' questions in Parliament on Wednesday. As for the issue of mandatory child vaccination, Sasko embraced the stance of Chief Hygienist Tatiana Cervenova. "The main aim of vaccinating children is to bolster herd immunity. We fully agree with the chief hygienist's stance that this brave talk will last only until herd immunity is lost. Of course, both the state and I personally can do more. In the coming weeks, several meetings will be held to discuss how to raise awareness, including how health-insurance companies can perhaps streamline their approach," he noted. According to Sasko, vaccination remains a sensitive topic. "As the health minister, it is important that I explain to people who may have doubts – for various legitimate reasons – why vaccination is vital, particularly in terms of protecting health," he added. Cervenova stated that rejecting mandatory vaccination exposes children to risks to their health and lives. mf/df