New anti-Covid measures: “Emergency brake before lockdown”

New anti-Covid measures: “Emergency brake before lockdown”

The cancellation of mass events, no indoor seating in restaurants and distance learning at all high schools. These measures are according to the Slovak Prime Minister Igor Matovič (OĽaNO) part of the emergency brake, which the country has to pull before going into a strict lockdown. On Sunday, the Government's Central Crisis Management Team held an emergency meeting that resulted in the announcement of several restrictive measures.

A ban on gatherings of more than six people comes into force in Slovakia as of Tuesday (October 13). The only exception will be for people living within a single household. Under the current state of emergency (declared in response to a second wave of the coronavirus outbreak), the Government can, to the necessary extent and for the necessary time, restrict or ban exercising the right to peaceful gatherings or make public gatherings conditional on permission.

As of Thursday (October 15), there is an obligation to wear facemasks outdoors, with the exception of natural surroundings. A stricter ban on mass events will come into force as well. An exception will be given to wedding services (not parties), christenings and funerals. Top competitions in football, ice-hockey, volleyball, basketball and handball will be exempt from this obligation, but they will have to take place without any spectators and following a precise testing of all participants.

Restaurants will only be able to serve packaged food, and consumers will only be able to eat the food outdoors. Fitness and wellness centres, aquaparks, swimming pools and saunas will be closed. Shops and shopping centres will limit the number of people on their premises (one person per 15 square metres). Special shopping hours for seniors above the age of 65 in grocery stores and drugstores will be reintroduced. These hours will be between 9am and 11am.

The regime at the borders will not change. "Apart from the Czech Republic, the situation in neighboring countries is better than in Slovakia", said Interior Minister Roman Mikulec (OĽaNO) on Sunday.

Zuzana Botiková, Photo: AP/TASR

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