On Friday, the 5th of November, at 5 p.m., the government met with health experts at Brdo near Kranj to discuss the measures to limit the spread of covid-19. At the meeting, they assessed the current situation, talked about the forecasts for the coming days, and the measures which should be adopted as soon as possible. Minister of Health, Janez Poklukar, the head of the advisory group at the Ministry of Health, Mateja Logar, and the Director of the National Institute of Public Health, Milan Krek, then presented then newly adopted measures adopted at a press conference.
“This was a very difficult session,” the Minister of Health, Janez Poklukar, said regarding the session of the government and the medical experts, where they discussed and made decisions about future measures. The adopted measures are ones that are acceptable, according to the current state of mind in Slovenia. The upcoming weeks are the most important, Poklukar said, as the spread of the virus will be put to the test. “Vaccination is still considered to be the most important measure of all. However, the measures that we have adopted today are expected to have a rapid effect on the epidemic.”
The new measures, which will take effect on Monday, are:
- the recovered/vaccinated/tested rule is deemed to be complied with if the person presents a valid identity document and proof of recovery, vaccination or testing;
- the age limit for exceptions to the recovered/vaccinated/tested rule has been changed; the age limit has been lowered to 12 years instead of 15 years, as was previously the case;
- exceptions to the recovered/vaccinated/tested rule include those presenting themselves for vaccination against COVID-19 and influenza, and those presenting themselves for testing for a new coronavirus infection;
- ten square meters of floor space must be provided for each visitor to a shop with basic everyday necessities, and the maximum number of persons who are permitted to be in the shop at the same time must be displayed at the entrance;
- as of the 15th of November, self-testing with rapid antigen tests will be carried out in schools for pupils and secondary schools students, who will be able to obtain 15 tests per month from pharmacies for that purpose;
- to make tests more accessible, experts proposed that tests be financed from the national budget, and therefore, rapid antigen tests and rapid antigen tests for self-testing will be free of charge;
- only a surgical mask or an FFP2 mask is recognised and approved for use as a protective mask; fabric masks are no longer approved for use in prescribed places;
- in hospitality establishments (bars and restaurants), services can be provided to customers between 5:00 and 22:00, but customers must be seated; in addition to a notice requiring compliance with the recovered/vaccinated/tested rule, the maximum number of persons who can be in the establishment at the same time must be displayed at the entrance;
- hospitality establishments that provide music for dancing or a social programme are not permitted to operate; discotheques and similar establishments are not permitted to operate while the ordinance is in force;
- gatherings are temporarily prohibited, and are only permitted for groups of persons who are immediate family members or share the same household;
- all public events, public gatherings, celebrations, and wedding ceremonies are temporarily prohibited, unless otherwise provided for in ordinances or other acts of the Government of the Republic of Slovenia;
- the organisation of public cultural events in open public spaces is not permitted, but it is permitted in enclosed public spaces with fixed seating, whereby every other seat must be left vacant, the use of face masks is mandatory, and all participants must comply with the recovered/vaccinated/tested rule.
- the organisation of public sports events is allowed only in spaces with fixed seating, whereby every other seat must be left vacant, the use of face masks is mandatory, and all participants must comply with the recovered/vaccinated/tested rule.
- the collective exercise of religious freedom is permitted provided that participants comply with the recovered/vaccinated/tested rule, wear protective masks and maintain a distance of 1.5 metres between each other.
The head of the expert group at the Ministry of Health, Mateja Logar, stressed that the health sector is facing a major challenge, adding that healthcare services should be available to all who need them, not just those who suffer from COVID-19. We must not get to the point where the healthcare system would break. She urged everyone to protect themselves and comply with the recovered/vaccinated/tested rule. “These measures must be understood as something that will allow us to return to as normal a state and as sustainable a healthcare system as possible. They should be understood as good-intentioned. As something that does not limit our lives, but provides an opportunity for life to continue,“ she concluded.
The Director of the National Institute of Public Health, Milan Krek, said that the ordinance contains measures that are urgently needed at this moment. He emphasised that if the number of infected people continues to increase at the current pace, we will face very difficult situations in the coming months. “The epidemiological situation in Europe will continue to deteriorate, and we will face very difficult situations if the number of infections continues to increase so rapidly.”
Minister of Health, Poklukar, called on all citizens once again to get vaccinated and respect all of the measures presented above.
Sara Kovač
