Slovaks expand restrictions, plan more amid record surge
Advertisement
Read this article for free:
or
Already have an account? Log in here »
To continue reading, please subscribe:
Digital Subscription
One year of digital access for only $205*
- Enjoy unlimited reading on winnipegfreepress.com
- Read the E-Edition, our digital replica newspaper
- Access News Break, our award-winning app
- Play interactive puzzles
*First annual payment billed as $205.00 + GST for one year. This annual subscription will automatically renew at $233.00 + GST every 52 weeks (10% off the regular annual price of $259.35). Offer available to new and qualified returning subscribers only. Cancel any time.
To continue reading, please subscribe:
Add Free Press access to your Brandon Sun subscription for only an additional
$1 for the first 4 weeks*
- Enjoy unlimited reading on winnipegfreepress.com
- Read the E-Edition, our digital replica newspaper
- Access News Break, our award-winning app
- Play interactive puzzles
*Your next Brandon Sun subscription payment will increase by $1.00 and you will be charged $17.95 plus GST for four weeks. After four weeks, your payment will increase to $24.95 plus GST every four weeks.
Read unlimited articles for free today:
or
Already have an account? Log in here »
Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 08/11/2021 (1770 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.
PRAGUE (AP) — Slovakia on Monday expanded strict coronavirus restrictions including hotel, bar and restaurant closures to almost a half of the country amid a record surge of infections.
The government is expected to discuss additional measures as the country’s health minister joined medical personnel who treat COVID-19 patients in urging Slovaks to get vaccinated.
“Only vaccination can take us through the pandemic,” Health Minister Vladimir Lengvarsky said.
The measures will affect 36 of the country’s 79 counties. Indicative of how fast infections are spreading, only five counties had imposed the measures three weeks ago, and another five a week later.
On top of the hotel, bar and restaurant closures, people will be allowed to only buy takeout meals. Fitness, wellness and aquatic centers also have been shuttered.
The maximum number allowed at public gatherings has been reduced to 100 fully vaccinated people. Face masks are compulsory indoors and outdoors.
Slovakia, which has a population of nearly 5.5 million people, is one of the countries in the European Union that have been hardest hit by the pandemic. It has registered around 457,431 cases and 12,917 deaths.
Daily infections have set three new records within last week, with the most recent of 6,805 cases being set on Thursday.
The government’s advisory group of health experts has proposed new restrictions such as limits on the movements of the unvaccinated in a bid to forestall a potential collapse of the health system.
About 80% of the 2,108 people who currently need hospitalization in Slovakia were either partially vaccinated or haven’t received a shot at all. Many hospitals have started to only treat COVID-19 patients.
Slovakia has one of the lowest vaccination rates in the EU. Less than half, or 2.41 million people, have been fully vaccinated.
“The vaccination could have prevented most of the deaths,” a petition signed by some 1,300 medical personnel and the health minister said. “Amid worries that the worst is yet to come, we are asking you to get vaccinated.”
___
Follow all AP stories on the coronavirus pandemic at https://apnews.com/hub/coronavirus-pandemic
