Slovakia’s government on Wednesday approved a two-week national lockdown amid a record surge of coronavirus infections. Prime Minister Eduard Heger said the measures that take effect Thursday will target all — both unvaccinated and vaccinated.
Under the lockdown, people can leave their homes only for some specific reasons. These include buying essential goods in the nearest stores to their homes, traveling to work and school or to get vaccinated, tested on the coronavirus or for medical treatment.
Unvaccinated people will be required to get tested to go to work if they have not recovered from COVID-19. If working from home is not possible, people will need to have a document from their employers about where their workplace is with details on their working hours.
Walking a dog is allowed within 500 meters (yards) from people’s homes. Heger called the measure “inevitable.” Its success “will depend on every single citizen,” he said.
Economy Minister Richard Sulik said his Freedom and Solidarity party, a member of the four-party ruling coalition, vetoed a proposal to close most schools. But it agreed that schoolchildren and students will be tested on a regular basis.
They will also be required to wear face coverings at schools.
Also, up to 1,000 service members a day will be helping the struggling health sector to deal with the pandemic, the government announced Wednesday. The announcement came after Slovakia set another record for coronavirus infections .