Lutsar has received threatening letters and messages and said on Saturday that they have become daily. The professor added that the number of meanspirited messages has grown this week. On Friday evening, lawyer Andrei Vesterinen published a video of a recorded conversation with Lutsar on Facebook.

"I woke up to this on Messenger today: 'The NKVD killed men in Estonia and you are no better.' Similar messages addressed to me have become rather common and a daily occurrence via email, text messaging etc. They have become more frequent this week," the professor wrote.

Prime Minister Kaja Kallas took to Twitter to write that attacks against Lutsar are shameful and low and that the head of the scientific council has poured her heart into her work and helped the entire country contain the virus. Kallas is set to meet with Lutsar on Monday.

Lutsar told the "Ringvaade" talk show on Friday that she believes people working in strategic positions should be vaccinated against the coronavirus ahead of schedule.

"I told the makers of "Ringvaade" that I would take flak over this and that is precisely what has happened. I am a medical worker like any other, I still offer consultations for patients and put my knowledge at the disposal of colleagues and the press," Lutsar wrote on social media.

Former head of government, MP Jüri Ratas (Center) also wrote on social media that offensive and derisive behavior is underhanded and ugly and that no one should be persecuted over differences of opinion. "Professor Irja Lutsar and the scientific council with all of their recommendations were a great help in containing the COVID-19 crisis. She works from the heart and only wants what's best for people," Ratas added.

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