Slovakia to Take Several Measures Against Spread of Coronavirus

Bratislava, January 27 (TASR) – Slovakia will take several preventive measures against the spread of coronavirus, monitoring preparations at airports and at two border crossings as well as in hospitals, Prime Minister Peter Pellegrini (Smer-SD) stated on Monday following a crisis team meeting at the Health Ministry.

At the same time the premier called on the public to get vaccinated against influenza and not to panic. He also recommends that people should reconsider whether to travel abroad.
“Slovakia will be able to confirm any occurrence of the disease in its state laboratory at the Public Health Authority (UVZ) as of next week, but until then we have contracts with international laboratories in other countries to which we immediately send samples if there is a suspicion, and from where we then receive relevant and official results,” said the premier.

On Pellegrini’s orders, the Health Ministry released €400,000 on Monday to purchase a special device for UVZ that should help to improve the quality of the state laboratory’s tests.
Pellegrini will also ask the Transport Ministry on Monday to carry out an exercise at M.R. Stefanik Airport in Bratislava and “activate a system of activities” that will be necessary if a virus carrier arrives in Slovakia. Checks will also be carried out at two border crossing points on the Schengen border with Ukraine – in Vysne Nemecke and in Cierna nad Tisou (both in Kosice region).

Pellegrini stated that coronavirus hasn’t yet been detected in Slovakia, but this still needs to be confirmed by laboratory tests.