Caputova: Our Lives to Be More Similar to Those before Crisis as of Wednesday
Bratislava, April 21 (TASR) – President Zuzana Caputova welcomes the fact that following several weeks of strict safety measures related to the coronavirus outbreak, Slovakia already knows the outlines of their gradual easing.
The head of the country posted this on a social network in reaction to the phases of loosening coronavirus-related measures presented by Prime Minister Igor Matovic on Monday (April 20).
Caputova especially praised the fact that the easing of measures will depend on the epidemiological development and that in a final consequence all the people can influence it by their behaviour.
“Thanks to our coherence we are one of the countries with the most moderate course of the pandemic and I believe that further development will be positive as well. Existential uncertainty is starting to occur in many families and businesses following several weeks of restraints. Therefore, their loosening can help them a lot,” stated the president.
According to Caputova, the current crisis first of all teaches people to prefer common interest to their own egoism. “We’ll have more opportunities as of Wednesday (April 22) and our lives will be little more similar to those we lived before the crisis. However, this doesn’t mean we should be less strict in adhering to all hygiene and safety rules. We’ll have to continue to reduce our social contacts, wear face masks, wash hands and refrain from gathering,” she said.
The president has called on people to continue to be cautious, coherent and help each other to overcome this period. She said that the development in surrounding countries shows that the pandemic can be combated, however, we must get used to the fact we will live with the virus much longer than we thought at the beginning. “We’ll have to adapt our health sector, economy, our habits, our jobs, as well as our personal lives to it,” she noted.
The first phase of re-opening shops and outlets should be launched on April 22 and will include shops smaller than 300 square metres, catering services serving food through a window, outdoor facilities for non-contact sports (without audience, changing rooms and toilets), establishments for long-term accommodation, outdoor markets and car showrooms, including car bazaars. The next three phases could follow ideally within two weeks, but there’s no fixed schedule.
