People Can Use Mobile App Instead of State Quarantine

People Can Use Mobile App Instead of State Quarantine

Bratislava, May 15 (TASR) – People will be able to use a mobile application introducing the so-called smart quarantine instead of state quarantine, according to an amendment to the law on protection, support for and development of public health and on electronic communications approved by Parliament on Friday.

The House dealt with the amendment via a fast-track legislative procedure.

A new form of quarantine via a mobile app should ease the burden on state quarantine facilities. “It would also have a less invasive effect on people arriving in Slovakia from abroad and at the same time provide a level of compliance with quarantine measures comparable to that of compulsory state quarantine,” stated the Health Ministry that submitted the amendment.

The app would be provided free of charge. The state hopes that it will reduce budget expenditure. At the same time, it would free up hundreds of police officers, fire-fighters and soldiers currently carrying out tasks related to state quarantine.

People who agree to such a form of quarantine will be obliged to install and use a mobile app to allow adherence to be monitored. They will also be obliged to enable access to data concerning the mobile device’s location and to allow the mobile device to save an image of the face of the mobile-phone user.

MPs also approved an amending proposal, ordering the Public Health Office to destroy data once the reason for their processing passes.