Anti-pandemic measures change again – some restaurants will be able to serve indoors

Rules will be decided based on regional criteria.

(Source: Sme)

New anti-pandemic measures will become valid in the upcoming days. They are based on a regional system so they will depend a great deal on which tier a district is in.

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The main changes concern ordinances for shops and similar operations, mass events, and rules for wearing masks and respirators as well as visits to hospitals.

Hygienists point out that in places where a negative antigen test result is required, this can now be replaced with confirmation of vaccination or recovery from the disease (in the last 180 days). Those who have been vaccinated with mRNA vaccines (Pfizer/BioNTech) should wait 14 days after their second vaccine while those who have received a vector vaccine (AstraZeneca, Johnson&Johnson) should wait at least four weeks after their first dose, before they can use evidence of vaccination instead of negative test results.

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These changes apply generally from May 17, 2021, for sports events from May 15 and for visits to hospitals from May 14.

The Regional Public Health Authorities might set stricter or milder conditions in their respective districts.

There is also a new website Automat.gov.sk where you can check valid measures in respective districts (Slovak only).

New rules

Shopping malls

  • In all districts temperature checks upon entry are being scrapped. Negative test results when entering are not needed.
  • The ban on the consumption of food or drink remains in place for dark red districts. In other districts, consumption is allowed.
  • Play corners for children and sections for sitting remain close.
  • The capacity of a shopping mall will still be limited depending on the colour of the district it is in.

Artificial swimming pools

  • A negative rapid test, no older than 24 hours, or an RT-PCR/LAMP test no older than 72 hours is required in all districts. It is not necessary for children under 10 years.

Hotels and accommodation facilities

  • The maximum capacity for one room is given in light red, red and dark red districts: i.e., a maximum of two adult persons or members of one household.
  • Restaurants and wellness centres in hotels should follow the conditions for other restaurants and wellness services.

Restaurants, pubs, cafés and others

  • Consumption indoors will be possible in districts in the yellow and orange tiers only.

Fitness centres

  • Capacity differs based on various tiers. Operators of fitness centres may choose between a maximum fixed number of customers or occupation based on area.
  • In light red, red and dark red tier districts a negative antigen test no older than 24 hours, or a negative RT-PCR/LAMP test no older than 72 hours will be required. This does not apply to children under 10 years.

Museums, galleries, exhibitions

  • Only individual tours are allowed in red and dark red tiers. In better districts, group tours are allowed. The maximum number of people in a group is given based on the colour of district.

Theatre, film and other cultural events

  • Forbidden in dark red tiers.
  • Interior film events are allowed in other districts. Capacity limitations are distinguished based on individual tiers.
  • In all districts, with the exception of green ones, only a seated audience is allowed.
  • In orange and better districts, events for school-attending children and school groups will be allowed.
  • Consumption of food and drink will be allowed outside only in light red and red districts. In better districts, it will be allowed inside for a maximum of four people or people from the same household seated at one table (orange tier) or for a maximum of six people or people from the same household (yellow tiers).

Wellness, water parks and spas

  • In all districts, it is necessary to have antigen test no older than 24 hours, or an RT-PCR/LAMP test no older than 72 hours. This does not apply to children up to the age of 10.
  • Wellness, water parks and spas may open in light red, orange, yellow and green districts.
  • Spas based on health indications are open in all districts.

Taxi services

  • Restrictions apply in all districts with the exception of green tiers.
  • Travellers up to a maximum of two in one row.
  • It is necessary to disinfect after each customer in light red, red and dark red tier districts.

Mass events

Dark red tier: allowed, up to six people

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Red tier: allowed, up to ten people

Light red tier: allowed, up to 25 people inside or 50 outside

Orange tier:

  • Seated: inside, up to 25 percent capacity, maximum of 250 people; outside, up 50 percent capacity, maximum 500 people
  • Standing: inside, up to 50 people; outside, up to 100 people

Yellow tier:

  • Seated: inside, up to 50 percent capacity, maximum 250 people; outside, up to 75 percent capacity, maximum 500 people
  • Standing: inside up to 100 people; outside up to 250 people

Green tier:

  • Seated: up to 75 percent capacity, inside, maximum 500 people; outside maximum 1,000 people
  • Standing: up to 50 percent capacity, inside maximum 500 people; outside maximum 1,000 people

The organiser is obliged to hold telephone or email contacts for visitors 14 days after the event is over for the purpose of possible epidemiological investigation, which should then be destroyed at the end of that time.

Wedding celebrations, funeral feasts, parties and similar events

Forbidden in dark red and red tiers.

Light red tiers: inside, up to 25 people; outside, up to 50 people

Orange tiers: inside up to 50 people; outside, up to 100 people

Yellow tiers: inside up to 100 people; outside, up to 250 people

Green tiers:

  • Seated: up to 75 percent capacity, inside maximum 500 people; outside maximum 1,000 people
  • Standing: up to 50 percent capacity, inside maximum 500 people; outside maximum 1,000 people

It is necessary to have a negative result for a RT-PCR/LAMP test no older than 72 hours or an antigen test no older than 24 hours.

Masses, wedding ceremonies, christenings, funerals

  • In green, yellow and orange tiers, the capacity limitations are the same as those for mass events in the given level.
  • In light red, red and dark red tiers the limitation is one person per 15 square metres; if the area is no larger than 90 square metres, the maximum number of visitors is six

Sporting events

  • An audience will be allowed into sporting events in green, yellow, orange and light red districts from May 15 – sport clubs under sport unions
  • It is necessary to have a negative RT-PCR/LAMP test no older than 72 hours or an antigen test no older than 24 hours.
  • Light red tiers: up to 25 percent capacity, maximum 250 people inside; 500 people outside
  • Green, yellow and orange tiers: rules as for mass events.
  • The organiser is obliged to hold telephone or email contacts for visitors for 14 days after the event is over for the purpose of possible epidemiological investigation which must be destroyed after that time.
  • Seating in every second row.
  • Consumption of food and drink is forbidden.
  • The organiser must have enough staff to control the observation of these measures.
  • Players must have a negative test.

Masks

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

​Visits to healthcare facilities

Visitors to healthcare facilities could be people who

  • have been vaccinated with an mRNA vaccine where at least 14 days have passed since their second vaccine or have been vaccinated with a vector vaccine where at least four weeks have passed since their first vaccine
  • have a negative result for a RT-PCR test or LAMP test no older than 72 hours or a negative result for an antigen test no older than 24 hours
  • have recovered fromCovid-19 no longer than 180 days ago
  • were vaccinated with the first dose of any vaccine within 180 days of recovering from the disease and more than 14 days have passed since their first dose.

Schools

All schools in all districts regardless the tier open on May 17. They will follow their own alert system, published on the website of the Education Ministry.

Universities can open with limitations in the orange tier.

Crossing borders

Everybody crossing the borders from February 17 has to register with the eHranica online form and self-isolate for 14 days upon arrival.

There are some exceptions for cross-border commuters and slightly different rules for people working in countries that do not border Slovakia, vaccinated people and people who have recovered from Covid. See more detailed rules here and here.

From April 19, new rules came into force for incomers who have been in the EU, or in Iceland, Norway, Lichtenstein, Switzerland or the UK in the previous 14 days and:

  • have been vaccinated (in the case of the mRNA vaccines more than 14 days need to have passed since their second dose, or in the case of the vector vaccine, AstraZeneca, more than four weeks have passed since their first dose);
  • have recovered from Covid-19 and were vaccinated up to 180 days previously with either a vector or an mRNA vaccine and at least 14 days have passed since their first dose;
  • or have recovered from Covid-19 within the last 180 days.

They still need to register with the eHranica online form, have a negative Covid test result (72 hours PCR, 48 hours antigen) when entering borders and enter isolation, but do not have to wait 8 days to take a PCR test in Slovakia in order to end their isolation.

An exception was also given to people who:

  • come to Slovakia to get married or to attend the funeral of someone close to them (this requires proof);
  • have permanent or temporary residence in Slovakia and cross the border to visit a foreign embassy accredited to Slovakia, located in the Czech Republic, Hungary or the Republic of Austria. This visit may not exceed 12 hours; in this case, a negative test for COVID-19 is not required.

From April 26, the distance limit for cross-border commuters from neighbouring countries changed from 30 to 100 kilometres. As a result, people who have permanent or temporary residence in the neighbouring state up to 100 kilometres from Slovak borders and who work in Slovakia, also up to 100 kilometres from the border, will not need to go into quarantine.

There are several new exceptions from isolation.

Quarantine

People can spend their quarantine at home or in a quarantine facility.

Starting on May 10, close contacts of people who test positive for Covid do not have to self-isolate if:

  • they have no symptoms and were vaccinated:
  • *with an mRNA vaccine: at least 14 days after the second shot;
  • *with a vector vaccine: at least 4 weeks after the first shot;
  • *have recovered from Covid and were vaccinated with any vaccine within the following 180 days: at least 14 days after the first shot;
  • they recovered from Covid and have confirmation no older than 180 days.

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