Illustrative stock photo (source: TASR)
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The behaviour of people during the upcoming Easter holiday will be crucial for the improvement of the pandemic situation, chief hygienist Ján Mikas wrote in an open letter.
The recent statistics suggest that there is a chance for such an improvement, he continued.
“It is good news for us after a long and difficult time,” Mikas wrote in the letter. “But to confirm this positive trend, we have to stick together and be disciplined.”
He asked people to avoid meeting their families and friends during the holiday, recalling the development after Christmas when the situation drastically deteriorated.
“Let’s not repeat it,” Mikas stressed.
The same request was voiced by Finance Minister Eduard Heger (OĽaNO), who is currently at the helm of the Health Ministry.
More districts in the red tier
The positive trends have been confirmed by the Health Ministry. Although the entire country remains in the black tier, particularly due to the high number of Covid patients in hospitals, there is the chance that once the number falls below 3,000 Slovakia will switch to the dark red tier of the Covid automat warning system.
The situation in the districts is improving as well. Starting next Monday, April 5, there will be only 10 districts in the black tier, while 52 districts will be in the dark red tier and 17 districts in the red tier.
(source: Health Ministry)
Tiers of districts from April 5
Districts at Warning Level 4 (black)
Čadca • Ilava • Krupina • Kysucké Nové Mesto • Lučenec • Myjava • Nové Mesto nad Váhom • Poltár • Poprad • Trenčín
Districts at Warning Level 3 (dark red)
Bánovce nad Bebravou • Banská Bystrica • Banská Štiavnica • Bardejov • Bratislava I-V • Brezno • Bytča • Detva • Dolný Kubín • Dunajská Streda • Galanta • Gelnica • Hlohovec • Humenné • Levoča • Liptovský Mikuláš • Malacky • Martin • Michalovce • Námestovo • Partizánske • Veľký Krtíš • Vranov nad Topľou • Žarnovica • Žiar nad Hronom • Žilina • Zvolen • Pezinok • Piešťany • Považská Bystrica • Prešov • Prievidza • Púchov • Revúca • Rimavská Sobota • Rožňava • Ružomberok • Sabinov • Šaľa • Senec • Senica • Skalica • Snina • Sobrance • Stará Ľubovňa • Trebišov • Turčianske Teplice • Tvrdošín
Districts at Warning Level 2 (red)
Kežmarok • Komárno • Košice I-IV • Košice - okolie • Levice • Medzilaborce • Nitra • Nové Zámky • Spišská Nová Ves • Stropkov • Svidník • Topoľčany • Trnava • Zlaté Moravce
Millionth jab soon expected
Meanwhile, altogether 680,983 people have received the first Covid vaccine shot and 257,105 have been vaccinated with the second shot as of March 29.
The vaccination rate is growing in nursing homes where 70 percent of patients received the jab, and 39 percent have received both shots, said State Secretary of the Health Ministry Jana Ježíková.
She expects the millionth vaccine jab in Slovakia to be administered during the Easter holidays.
Slovakia should receive 120,000 doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine, to be delivered to the country this week. This will allow to increase the capacity of a large-scale vaccination centre from 45,000 jabs per week to 60,000 per week, according to Ježíková.
Slovakia has received 55,000 Pfizer vaccines this week. Starting in April, the number should increase to 73,000 vaccines per week. As a result, it will be possible to vaccinate 15,000 people with Pfizer vaccines every day. The country is simultaneously receiving about 2,000 Moderna vaccines on a weekly basis.
The first vaccines by Johnson & Johnson are expected to arrive to Slovakia on April 19, and another 16,800 vaccines are expected to arrive later in the month.
The Sputnik V vaccines are still not being used, as the ministry is still missing some data. The vaccines expire after six months, Ježíková noted. Those delivered to Slovakia were produced at the end of February.
What rules apply in the tiers:
Schools (kindergartens, grades one to four of primary schools, final grades of secondary schools)
Black tier: closed
Dark red tier: based on the recommendation of the Regional Public Health Authority (RÚVZ)
Red tier: Open
Test validity for work (depends on the district where one works)
Black and dark red tiers: 7 days
Red tier: 14 days
Travelling out to nature
Black tier: only within the district, forbidden to travel in or out of the district
Dark red and red tiers: travelling between districts allowed with a test no older than 7 days
More on coronavirus development in Slovakia:
Tightened border regime: State orders self-isolation and testing for all incomers as of February 17
Do I have the new coronavirus? How to proceed if you have a suspicion
I encountered a person who is COVID-19 positive. What do I do next? (FAQ)
When will I get my COVID vaccine? FAQs about vaccination in Slovakia
