COVID-19 pandemic in Slovakia

COVID-19 pandemic in Slovakia
Cumulative cases by district (per 100k) New cases in 14 days by district (per 100k) Cumulative cases by district   <500   <1,000   <1,500   <2,000   <2,500 Cumulative cases by region
Disease	COVID-19
Virus strain	SARS-CoV-2
Location	Slovakia
First outbreak	Wuhan, Hubei, China
Index case	Kostolište
Arrival date	6 March 2020 (1 year, 11 months, 1 week and 6 days ago)
Confirmed cases	1,324,503
Hospitalised cases	2,524
Deaths	18,201
Fatality rate	1.37%[1]
Government website
korona.gov.sk

The COVID-19 pandemic in Slovakia is of the worldwide pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). The virus was confirmed to have spread to Slovakia on 6 March 2020 when Prime Minister Peter Pellegrini announced that a 52-year-old man was infected.^[2] He had not travelled anywhere but his son had travelled to Venice in Italy, and was later confirmed as the first Slovak to be infected. Three cases were then confirmed, including the man's son and wife.^[3] During the next few days, COVID-19 cases went up to 21 out of 832 tested.

List of measures

Pellegrini adopted some of the strictest precautions in Europe at the time by banning all personal international flights, rail and bus travel, and unnecessary foreign travel; implementing border checks and a compulsory 14-day quarantine for everyone returning from abroad, and closing all schools nationwide.^[4] The following precautions were also taken:

• 28 February 2020 - Temperature screening of passengers for all passengers arriving in Slovakia by air^[5]
• 7 March 2020 - Deep sanitization of public transport vehicles in Bratislava^[6]
• 8 March 2020 - Secondary schools closed in Bratislava region^[7]
• 9 March 2020 - Primary schools closed in Bratislava, secondary schools in Trnava and Košice region^[8]
• 10 March 2020 - Events suspended^[9]
• 12 March 2020 - Emergency declared,^[10] all event venues closed^[11]
• 13 March 2020 - Compulsory 14-day quarantine upon returning from abroad,^[12] restarting border controls, international passenger transportation halted^[13]
• 15 March 2020 - Emergency declared in health care,^[14] face masks compulsory in public transport and shops^[15]
• 16 March 2020 - Non-essential stores closed^[16]
• 25 March 2020 - Compulsory face masks in public^[17]
• 6 April 2020 - Compulsory 14-day quarantine upon returning from abroad in a quarantine accommodation facility^[18]
• 8 to 14 April 2020 - Curfew during the Easter season ^[19]
• 21 April 2020 - Tentative four-phase programme for lifting certain quarantine requirements announced^[20]
• 22 April 2020 - First stage of lifting quarantine measurements started. Allowed activities: shops under 300 square metres, long-term accommodation, outdoor non-contact sports, car selling (both new and second-hand), open air markets.^[21]
• 6 May 2020 - Second stage of lifting the quarantine combined with ahead of schedule third stage started. Allowed activities: short-term accommodation without restaurants or eating in common areas, pedicures and manicures, outdoor tourism, taxi services, services and weddings, massages, museums, galleries, libraries, exhibition halls.^[22]
• 20 May 2020 - Fourth stage of lifting the quarantine started. Concentration of people inside of stores increased from 1 person / 25 square metres to 1 person / 15 square metres. Theatres and cinemas opened, events with less than 100 participants allowed. Shopping malls reopened. Swimming pools and gyms open for members of sport clubs. Restaurant interiors now accessible. Face masks no longer mandatory when distance between people is at least 5 meters. Schools and Kindergartens to be opened later on 1 June 2020. Residents of Slovakia can now pass the borders and not go into state quarantine as long as they return in under 24 hours.^[23]
• As a reaction to rapidly rising numbers of infected cases during September, new restrictions were put in effect on 1 October. Face masks are again compulsory even in exterior spaces if separation of at least 2 meters between persons cannot be maintained. Mass events were restricted to less than 50 people. Restaurants and bars must close by 10 PM and shopping malls must maintain at least 10 meters squared and 2 meters separation per customer. Universities must switch to distanced learning.^[24]
• On 15 October, restrictions were tightened further. Mass events were banned, with the exception of baptisms, funerals and weddings, which must maintain at least 15 meters squared per person. Shops and shopping malls must also maintain at least 15 meters squared per customer and must check customer's body temperature. 9 to 11 AM is reserved for senior citizens. Sport events must be without spectators. Restaurants must serve customers only in exterior spaces or as take-out. Fitness centers, wellness centers, aquaparks, pools and saunas are closed. High schools must switch to distanced learning. Police may issue ticket up to €1,000 without warning.^[25]
• In October, a decision was taken to try to test every adult in the country. On 31 October and 1 November tests were undertaken in 5,000 test centres. 2.58 million people tested on Saturday with 25,850 test being positive. By Sunday evening the testing campaign concluded with more than 3.62 million people tested during the weekend. 38,359 (or 1.06%) were positive. Testing was not compulsory but anyone not isolating without a negative test result in a Curfew.^[26][27]
• On 19 December, a nationwide lockdown was instituted due to rising numbers of infected and deaths. Except for a few exceptions such as visiting family, going to/from work, buying basic essentials, visiting post offices, banks and doctors, people are required to stay home. The restrictions are planned to last until 10 January 2021.^[28]
• On 1 January 2021, measures were toughened again. Government closed ski centres and churches, prohibited hotels from taking new guests and visits between different households were prohibited. The restrictions will be in place until 24 January.^[29]
• Between 8 and 10 January, a decision was taken to try to test every adult in Nitra. Testing was not compulsory but anyone not isolating without a negative test result in a harsher Curfew in Nitra.^[30]
• In January, a decision was taken to try to test every adult in the country again. Testing was not compulsory but anyone not isolating without a negative test result in a harsher Curfew.
• 8 February 2021 - COVID Automat was launched.^[31]
• On 1 March 2021, measures were toughened again. Curfew was toughened between 8:00 PM and 1:00 AM. All shops were closed at 8:00 PM.^[32]
• 8 March 2021 - FFP2 face masks in public transport and shops.^[33]
• 15 March 2021 - Compulsory FFP2 face masks in interiors.
• 20 March 2021 - Holidays were prohibited until 28 April.^[34]
• 25 March 2021 - Movement in nature is only allowed between 5:00 AM and 8:00 PM.^[35]

Background

On 12 January 2020, the World Health Organization (WHO) confirmed that a novel coronavirus was the cause of a respiratory illness in a cluster of people in Wuhan City, Hubei Province, China, which was reported to the WHO on 31 December 2019.^[36][37]

The case fatality ratio for COVID-19 has been much lower than SARS of 2003,^[38][39] but the transmission has been significantly greater, with a significant total death toll.^[40][38]

Timeline