Our paywall policy
The Slovak Spectator has decided to leave all the articles about the coronavirus available for everyone. If you appreciate our work and would like to support good journalism, please buy our subscription. We believe this is an issue where accurate and fact-based information is important for people to cope.
The Sme daily published the stories of Slovaks who have recently returned from Italy and tried to reach the helpline established by the Health Ministry for those who have coronavirus symptoms.
Mária of Bratislava could not reach anyone at first. After someone finally picked up, she was told, without being examined, that she is not infected as her temperature is low. She has not suffered from a high temperature when she has had the flu in the past.
Another Bratislavan, Ladislav, has not been able to reach anybody on the helpline, so he called 112. They told him to stay home as there is nobody to examine him.