The emptied streets of Bratislava. (source: TASR)
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Responding to the worsened development with the coronavirus pandemic and the increasing number of hospitalised patients suffering from COVID-19, the central crisis staff has agreed on several lockdown measures.
“I lost the fight for using mass testing as an alternative to lockdown,” PM Igor Matovič (OĽaNO) said during the December 9 press conference.
The restrictions will be applied in several waves:
December 11, 2020: the outdoor terraces of restaurants, cafés and similar facilities will be closed. Takeaways should be preserved. Driving schools will switch to remote classes.
December 14, 2020: stricter conditions will be implemented for hotels and ski centres: every visitor older than 10 years of age will be required to show a negative rapid or PCR test result no older than 72 hours.
*In hotels, it will not be possible to eat and drink in the shared spaces.
*In terms of ski lifts, only one person or people from the same household will be allowed to be on one chairlift or in one cable car.
December 21, 2020:School holiday begins and shopsexcept for essential ones (grocery stores etc.) will be closed. The shops will stay closed for three weeks in each district, i.e. at least until January 10. It is not clear yet when schools will reopen.
December 28, 2020: Regular testing in companies with more than 500 employees will begin, so that they can return to work.
No curfew or mobility restrictions will be applied during the lockdown.
The restrictions will be lifted in those areas where the epidemic situation allows it. The specific conditions will be presented in the coming weeks, Matovič said.
This article was first published on December 8.
