Bratislava strengthens anti-COVID measures

With the situation rapidly deteriorating, local authorities aim to hold out until a mass rollout of a vaccine becomes possible

The epidemiological situation in the whole of Slovakia is rapidly deteriorating and every responsible self-government is therefore looking for a way to make life in its city more bearable and safer. Until the country can vaccinate enough people to make life in the city safer, Bratislava’s authorities have decided to take steps to give residents better access to testing.

Making sure that life can continue as close to normal

The situation in Bratislava is specific in many respects. In addition to the high population density, Bratislava is also a city with the largest mix of people from all over Slovakia, which is visited daily by tens of thousands of people from other districts and cities. The epidemiological situation in Bratislava thus depends all the more on the situation in other parts of Slovakia.

In order to be able to manage the pandemic until enough people have been vaccinated, which will undoubtedly take several more months, authorities need to take a more comprehensive approach to the solution in Bratislava. They have therefore decided to

• Launch a significantly larger number of permanent mobile collection points. Officials want testing in Bratislava to be more affordable, more comfortable and without a long wait. Therefore, in addition to the existing 19 mobile collection points, there is a need to set up another 20-25 points to allow at least 100,000 people to test once a week. The key is that everyone can use these test sites repeatedly and regularly when they like it and when they need it.
• Use these mobile sampling points also for the testing that will be needed to open schools
• Have the Bratislava self-governments stand ready for area testing, if it comes to it in agreement with the government -something which would require a drastic state-mandated reduction in the mobility of citizens.

Several studies show that long-term regular testing can help manage a pandemic. At the same time, the reality of everyday life shows that Bratislava residents want to be tested, discouraged by the rather long waiting and unavailability of testing on weekends.

Until at least 70-80% of the population of Bratislava is vaccinated, which, with the best process and maximum effort, will take several more months, the availability of testing will be important. Therefore, local authorities want to make every effort to not only hold people accountable but also to enable them to behave as responsibly as possible.