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Ljubljana, July 6, 2021 - The Corona crisis has been plaguing us for almost a year and a half. It has posed unimaginable challenges to humanity, it has claimed many lives, it has put a heavy burden on the health care system, and with its limitations it has radically interfered with our daily lives, affecting the economy, education, culture and science. And it seems that the epidemic is not saying goodbye just yet, as we are threatened with the spread of new versions of the virus in the coming months, which will intensify as autumn arrives. When will we be able to live fully as we did before the Corona Crisis? It's a question we all ask ourselves constantly, but to which no one has an answer. We do, however, have a clear position and consensus of world science on what the effective and only way out of this crisis is. Vaccination.

The fight against the Covid-19 epidemic is a long-distance race, and as a society we will only succeed if vaccination is sufficient. Vaccination, which is especially recommended for vulnerable groups such as the elderly and chronically ill, primarily protects us and prevents more serious consequences that can also affect young and healthy people. But vaccination also limits the spread of the disease, protecting the health of our family members, friends, neighbors, acquaintances and colleagues. Last but not least, by increasing the proportion of people who are vaccinated, we contribute to the relaxation of restrictive measures in society, and we contribute to the faster normalization of everyday life, the opening of schools, businesses and events. Vaccination will also protect us from new strains of the coronavirus, which allready spread uncontrollably around the world.

However, in Slovenian and some other societies it is necessary to overcome the mistrust towards vaccination, which is spread on the basis of unscientific information and opinions, mostly spread through social networks. Although we have only been studying the epidemic for a year and a half, an extremely large number of researchers have become involved and the results of scientific research into the virus and the effects of vaccines are clear, transparent and accessible to all. During the pandemic, the power of science was evident, with decades of prior basic research enabling it to come to the rescue quickly and produce excellent vaccines. Scientists also got involved in communicating scientific knowledge about the virus and how vaccines work.

Above all, we must be aware that by refusing vaccination, we are harming ourselves, our loved ones, and our collective future. With the possible renewed spread of infections, our health care system will again be overburdened, we will again count unnecessary victims, there will again be economic damage, it will affect education, culture, our daily lives. In such circumstances, societies with highlevels of vaccination will find it much easier to cope with a resurgence of the epidemic.

Since the effective vaccines are available to Slovenians and vaccination is a simple and safe measure to protect against Covid-19 disease, we at The National Institute of Chemistry join the call of some Slovenian organizations and strongly recommend vaccination. Keep in mind that the benefits of vaccination for the individual and society as a whole far outweigh the possible side effects of the vaccines. With the decision to vaccinate, our lives will become safer and more pleasant, and the coronavirus epidemic will be accepted and experienced by us as a society in a more relaxed way.