Epidemiological cooperation between the Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland and Slovakia began today with a video conference organised by the current Polish presidency of the Visegrád Group (V4), as agreed upon by the prime ministers of the V4 countries at their recent summit in Lublin in September.

The representatives of the V4 countries agreed that during the second wave of the coronavirus epidemic it is vital for the countries of the Visegrád Group to inform each other directly with relation to epidemic-related measures, and to share experiences and knowledge in the interests of the more efficient handling of the epidemic. Contact between the V4 countries within this field also makes cooperation within the region, the EU, the WHO and other international institutions more efficient.

The Centre of Epidemiological Cooperation will operate via a weekly videoconference (VTC) held by the epidemiological experts of the four counties. The healthcare and foreign affairs representatives of the V4 countries will also be involving other experts working with relation to handling the epidemic in the work of the Centre. The main focus will be on the exchange of information relating to the management of the healthcare system, but with the involvement of other experts, the situation of personal and freight transport, border crossing stations and air passenger services will also be discussed within the Visegrád Group.

(Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade / MTI)