Despite the fact that the risk of spreading viruses over the holidays is high, the government will not tighten the measures which are in effect at the moment. Members of the Health Ministry expert group informed about this decision on Friday. A week ahead of the Easter holidays, they recommend people to cut down meetings, avoid visiting households to perform traditional whipping and water splashing rituals and participate only in virtual masses. The experts also appeal to people to travel within a single district and wear face masks and respirators even when performing individual sport in the nature.
"The way we manage this Easter will decide how we will spend this summer," said interim Health Minister Eduard Heger on Friday. The Chief Hygienist Jan Mikas informed that the epidemiology situation has been slightly improving in Slovakia. "Easter time is the turning point in such cases, thus it is important to respect the measures," concluded Mikas, adding that they are sufficient.
The expert on tropical medicine and infectology Vladimir Krcmery recommends avoiding large groups and meeting strangers. Specialists are calling on the public to refrain from meeting their parents and grandparents even if they have been vaccinated.
The list of suggestions also includes mandatory quarantine upon arrival in Slovakia from abroad in order not to spread the virus mutations. Travelling abroad is possible under the rules on borders. Nevertheless, a ban on crossing borders for holiday purposes was extended from Thursday, 25th March, to the time outside the curfew, i.e. between 1 and 5am. A fine of 1000€ can be applied to holidaymakers breaking the ban.
Shopkeepers have been asked to limit the number of customers in their premises.
The expert recommendations will be discussed next week by the pandemic commission.
Source: RTVS + TASR
