Bratislava begins preparations for second wave of pandemic

Following the exceptional handling of the disease in its initial stages, authorities are already looking towards protecting locals from its return

With life in Bratislava slowly returning back to normal and with authorities steadily relaxing more and more measures, most people are confident that the worst has been put behind them, that it will all be smooth sailing from here. Yet it’s the job of every responsible government official to always prepare for the worst-case scenario – and that’s precisely what the Slovak capital’s authorities are doing.

Always vigilant, remaining at the ready

Local officials in Bratislava are perfectly aware of the risks of the second wave of coronavirus infections sometime later this year – which is why they have already begun preparing to mitigate its impact. The first step has been the entering into a partnership with the country’s Ministry of Health – a partnership that is bound to bear fruit through a series of joint meetings and discussions between local and national officials on preventing or at least containing a second COVID-19 wave.

Authorities in Bratislava are of the opinion that the Slovak government, upon its adoption of lockdown measures, did not either take into account the role that cities can and should play in battling the pandemic, nor their specific needs and case-by-case circumstances. And that is precisely what this partnership is meant to solve.

The working groups between the municipality and the Ministry of Health are meant to accomplish several tasks, including:

• The creation of a list of pre-selected buildings that will be used for quarantine within the city
• The testing and the implementation of preventative quarantine for seniors who depend on social services
• Finding solutions for the self-isolation of homeless people
• The COVID-19 testing of employees at care facilities
• The creation of an action plan for establishing COVID-19 zones within Bratislava

By beginning their joint work now, authorities in the capital believe that they will be able to save many lives once the 2^nd wave of the disease hits in a few months’ time.