Respirators will not be obligatory in some districts. Cabinet approves new Covid alert system

Testing should remain in place only if situation deteriorates.

(Source: TASR)

Anti-pandemic rules will follow a new system.

The cabinet approved at its May 12 session an update to the Covid automat alert system, responding to new developments and the presence of more infectious Covid strains.

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The system adjusting anti-pandemic measures at the national and regional level should become effective from May 17.

The rules and bans are divided into the eight tiers of the traffic lights system, while there is also a brand new national testing strategy, the SITA newswire reported.

How will it work?

What measures are currently in place? Check our regularly updated text Most districts are in red and light red tiers. Look at the measures valid from May 10 Read more 

At the national level, the updated document will classify the epidemiological situation based on the 7-day incidence of cases from PCR and rapid tests and the share of positive PCR tests in the total number, as well as the number of hospitalised patients and the effective reproduction/growth number.

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If three out of four indicators will exceed a given limit at the national level, the whole country will switch to a respective tier and follow the measures set for the national level. The country will switch to the worse tier from the following Monday.

To switch to a better tier, it is necessary to reach the criterion for the number of hospitalised patients and at least two other parameters. The relaxation of measures will be possible after 13 days from the situation improving, and no sooner than two weeks since the previous switch to a better tier.

Testing when situation deteriorates

The updated Covid automat is abandoning mass rapid testing. Under the new rules, it will only be used if the pandemic situation deteriorates. The new testing strategy is also counting with the PCR and LAMP tests.

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