Slovakia enters light red tier

Corona restrictions for shopping, sports and cultural events and some isolation rules are further relaxed

From today, 10 May, Slovakia settles in the light red tier of corona restrictions on a national level, reports The Slovak Spectator, quoting TASR newswire. On a regional level, as specified by the Covid automat alert system, only two districts - Myjava and Považská Bystrica - will remain in the dark red tier, while 33 will be in the red tier and 44 in the light red tier.

As Health Minister Vladimír Lengvarský and Chief Hygienist Ján Mikas have previously announced, from today anti-Covid measures in the red and light red districts will be further relaxed reflecting the improving epidemic situation.

However, these districts will be under curfew from 9 pm until 1 am with exceptions, and FFP2 or KN95 respirators will be still required inside buildings, including shops, but not in schools where a plain mask will do.

Changes in effect

The special shopping hours for seniors and disabled people between 9 am and 11 am on weekdays have been cancelled.

Attendance at cultural events is capped at 50 percent of venue capacity. In the light red tier establishments a maximum of 500 people are allowed outside and 250 inside; while in the red tier the limits are a maximum of 200 people outside and 100 inside. Participants will have to show a negative PCR or rapid antigen test upon entry, and organisers will be required to keep their phone and email contacts for two weeks following the event.

Swimming pools can be used by sports club, with capacity limitations of maximum 50 people outside and 25 people inside for light red tier facilities and maximum of 10 people both outside and inside for red tier facilities.

Cable cars can operate again, with unlimited capacity in the light red tier districts and one passenger or people from one household per car in the red tier.

Vaccinees can skip self-isolation after contacting carriers

Also, some changes to the isolation rules have been made to the benefit of people who have already been vaccinated. Now, close contacts of coronavirus-positive individuals may not self-isolate if they do not have symptoms of the disease and are vaccinated - either with an mRNA vaccine, at least 14 days after the second shot; or with a vector vaccine, at least 4 weeks after the first shot; or have recovered from Covid and have been vaccinated within 180 days of overcoming the disease, and 14 days have passed since the first shot.

According to data provided by the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC), in the last two weeks Slovakia has ranked 23^rd among the 28 EU member states in new Covid-19 cases per 100,000 population, but remains close to the unflattering top, at fifth place, in terms of deaths per capita.