Slovakia and the Czech Republic receive help in the fight against COVID-19 at the Prague airport on March 24, 2020. (source: FB Polícia SR)
This is your overview of news from Slovakia on March 24.
For all news about the coronavirus in Slovakia click here.
To read about the measures currently in place in Slovakia click here.
Coronavirus in Slovakia updates
The newly-appointed crisis staff and Igor Matovič's cabinet came up with a set of additional measures amid the pandemic, including the obligation to wear a mask outside home.
Schools will remain closed until further notice; the Education Ministry has postponed some exams.
The government wants to collect data from people's mobile phones in its efforts to contain the epidemic. Read more about what kind of data they want and how they want to use it in this story by investigative reporter of the Sme daily, Adam Valček.
Two million protective masks purchased by the Interior Ministry were delivered to Slovakia via Prague from China. Slovakia also received 50,000 testing kits, 2.5 m masks, 20,000 protective suits and 25,000 protective glasses as help for the Czech Republic and Slovakia, funded by the Energetický a Průmyslový Holding (EPH) and the J&T financial group. The plane, which is the second aircraft carrying 20 tonnes of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE), landed in Prague in the morning.
The Freedom and Solidarity (SaS) MP Alojz Baránik will take a COVID-19 test after his family member showed coronavirus symptoms. Baránik, who attended the founding session of the parliament last Friday, is currently self-quarantining at home.
The International Association of Doctors in Slovakia has launched the initiative “Let’s all come together and help Slovakia” in an attempt to fight the coronavirus disease. A group of 30 volunteers, foreign medical professionals living in Slovakia, have decided to give a hand to date.
We consider it our duty to provide an opportunity to foreign medical personnel and people who have the necessary practical skills to help the Slovak health system in this difficult period.“
The Technical University in Košice has begun 3D printing PPEs for the medical staff. The University set up an innovation centre that will focus on the design and production of respirators and other equipment.
The Banská Bystrica Region (BBSK) has launched a delivery service for the most vulnerable groups, including the elderly. The service is in operation in the districts of Brezno and Banská Bystrica at the moment. By the end of this week, deliveries should be available across the region.
The firm Gabor will suspend its shoe production in Bánovce nad Bebravou, western Slovakia, from March 25 until April 13 due to COVID-19. The company will close all its manufacturing halls, not only in Slovakia.
Lawyers will provide free-of-charge legal services to people during the quarantine, from March 24 to April 7. Citizens can ask for help online. All the information is available here. The help will exclude court-related matters.
Other news
The government removed Kajetán Kičura as chair of the Administration of State Material Reserves due to the overpriced purchases of medical equipment and the purchase of flats in Bratislava.
The Aeolus travel agency no longer sells tours.
The parliament elected two more deputy speakers: Milan Laurenčík (SaS) and Peter Pellegrini (Smer). On March 20, Gábor Grendel (OĽaNO) and Juraj Šeliga (Za Ľudí) were elected deputy speakers as well. Boris Kollár serves as the parliament's speaker.
The night temperature on March 23 can decrease to -15°C up to -18°C in central and eastern Slovakia. The Slovak Hydrometeorological Institute (SHMÚ) has issued a first-level warning.
Read more from The Slovak Spectator
