Slovakia's new traffic light system for foreign travel will come into effect next week. (source: TASR/AP)
Please note that these rules only apply until July 8, 2021. A new set of rules will be put in place on July 9, 2021.
Rules for crossing the borders changed on Monday, May 31.
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The cabinet approved the new traffic light system for travelling that divides the countries across the globe into three tiers based on the risk of infection. On the one hand, it will inform travellers about the danger of being infected with Covid in other countries, and on the other hand, it will set self-isolation rules for incomers to Slovakia.
“The aim is to enable people to travel abroad relatively safely and to minimise the import of new infections including the new Covid mutations,” reads the document approved by the cabinet.
New tier system
The countries will be divided into the following three tiers:
Green countries (low risk of infection)
EU member states regardless of their epidemiological situation (there will be a possibility to change the rules if dangerous Covid mutations spread uncontrollably);
countries with a favourable epidemiological situation.
Red countries (high risk of infection)
Countries with an unfavourable epidemiological situation where:
the 14-day infection rate is higher than 50 per 100,000 inhabitants or the epidemiological situation worsens quickly;
there are no Covid variants other than the British strain.
Black countries (“no go” zone, travelling not recommended)
countries with dangerous Covid variants other than the British strain;
countries with unavailable, untrustworthy or low-quality data.
The list will be updated once every two weeks, following the recommendations of the Public Health Authority (ÚVZ) which will cooperate with the Foreign Affairs Ministry and the Interior Ministry.
Self-isolation rules change
Everybody returning from abroad will be required to fill in the eHranica online form.
The new travelling traffic light system still requires incomers to self-isolate after they return, but it benefits people who have been vaccinated against Covid.
More details will be specified by ÚVZ in the coming days.
The rules for self-isolation are as follows:
Green countries
14-day home isolation that ends with a negative PCR test after arrival.
Exceptions:
vaccinated people
people who have recovered from Covid in the past 180 days
people aged 18 years and under
Red countries
14-day home isolation that can be ended with a negative PCR test carried out 8 days after arrival.
Black countries
14-day home isolation, regardless of the result of the test that can be taken 8 days after arrival.
