Slovaks will probably spend Christmas in lockdown, but as of now, it remains unclear just how severe the lockdown will be.
According to news reports, the Czech Central Crisis Staff decided on Tuesday to introduce a lockdown from Dec. 21.
No details have been released yet and it is not clear how hard the lockdown will be. When asked by journalists, Defense Minister Roman Mikulec said that the lockdown would be put in place “to some extent”.
According to Slovak media, all shops will be closed from Dec. 21, except for groceries and stores for daily necessities. It is not yet clear whether it will be possible to move between districts at Christmas.
Slovak President Zuzana Čaputová has recently criticized Prime Minister Igor Matovič over his efforts to fight the Covid-19, saying Slovakia lacks a clear plan.
The number of hospitalized is growing
Before the meeting of the Central Crisis Staff, the chief hygienist of the Slovak Republic, Ján Mikas, said that measures must be tightened so that the capacity of Slovak hospitals is not completely filled. The number of hospitalized on Monday exceeded 2,000 for the first time since the beginning of the pandemic. There is also a risk of staff shortages, as more than 2,000 health professionals are quarantined.
Mikas admitted that he would prefer a nationwide lockdown over a regional one, which would apply only to certain districts.
“Most districts are just red at the scale, five to six are in even worse situation,” added the chief hygienist.
In Slovakia, 1,949 new cases of COVID-19 were recorded on Monday, and 28 people died. A total of 119,232 people have been tested positive in the country so far, and 1,046 people have died since the beginning of the pandemic in Slovakia.
Title image: People have their temperature checked, as a precaution against the spread of the new coronavirus, as they enter the headquarters of the Ordinary People and Independent Personalities party to wait for the results of the general elections in Trnava, Slovakia, Saturday, Feb. 29, 2020. (AP Photo/Petr David Josek)
