Respirators are required in health and social care facilities, a June 13 decree issued by the Public Health Authority reads. (source: TASR - Radovan Stoklasa)
The Public Health Authority has issued a new decree exempting some workers from wearing a respirator.
"The decree does not reinforce the obligation to wear the respirator," the office stressed, adding that it only complements the exemptions from the mandatory wearing of respirators in selected situations.
From Monday, June 13, creche workers do not have to wear a respirator. This also concerns employees who should not wear them because of their working conditions or the nature of their work, but an agreement reached with an employer is necessary.
Health and social care facilities
The obligation to wear a respirator continues to apply to staff in hospitals, doctors' offices, pharmacies as well as other health and social care providers, if the staff come in contact with clients and patients. Visitors to these facilities, patients in waiting rooms and doctors' offices, as well as pharmacy customers, must also wear a respirator.
Hospitalised patients and residents of social services facilities do not have to cover their nose and mouth. The same applies to children under six, people with severe autism, and people with moderate or severe mental or hearing problems who enter hospitals and other health and social care facilities.
No one is required to wear the respirator when eating and drinking in buffets and canteens in hospitals and social care facilities.
Mask instead of a respirator
The decree reads that workers can replace the respirator with a mask if they have a skin disease that could be aggravated by wearing the respirator or a chronic respiratory disease.
This change can also be permitted following approval by an employer.
Respirators are not mandatory outdoors, including outdoor mass events. Regarding interiors, excluding health and social care facilities, respirators are not required, not even at workplaces, on public transport, in a taxi, or at mass events.
On Sunday, June 12, Slovakia reported 28 new Covid cases. There are 124 Covid patients in hospitals.
