Slovakia will introduce a lockdown from Monday for people who have not yet had corona vaccinations. Prime Minister Eduard Heger has said on television that stricter measures are needed due to the revival of the coronavirus and the increasing pressure on hospitals.
During the lockdown, which lasts three weeks, only vaccinated and cured people are allowed to go to restaurants, non-essential shops, and public gatherings. In addition, a testing obligation will apply to unvaccinated people in the worst affected areas.
The new measures follow after a record number of infections with the coronavirus was registered on Wednesday. Never before have more than 8300 infections been diagnosed within a day in a country with 5.5 million inhabitants.
The vaccination rate in Slovakia is one of the lowest in Europe, at more than 45 percent. Surrounding countries are also experiencing a disappointing jab campaign, which means that additional restrictions are also being introduced to prevent the spread of the coronavirus. In neighbouring Austria, for example, there is already a lockdown for unvaccinated people.