PRAGUE (Reuters) – Slovakia will require travellers from six more European countries to stay in quarantine from Sept. 1 due to rising numbers of coronavirus cases there, the Health Ministry said on Friday.
They are Croatia, a particularly popular holiday destination for Slovaks, as well as Spain, France, the Netherlands, Belgium and Malta.
Anyone who has visited those countries in the previous two weeks will be required to self-quarantine for 10 days, or present a negative test after at least five days’ self-isolation following entry to Slovakia.
The ministry also advised people not to travel to Greece and certain parts of other European countries due to rising numbers of coronavirus cases. Those areas include the Czech capital Prague, the Austrian capital Vienna and in the UK, Tayside in Scotland and the Northwest region of England.
Slovakia will also ban outside events with more than 1,000 people and inside events of more than 500 people from the start of September, and internal events must end by 11 p.m.
Children from the fifth grade and secondary school students will be required to wear face masks in schools in the first two weeks of the school year, which begins on Sept. 1. Younger children will have to wear them in common areas of schools and pre-school facilities.
Slovaks already have to wear face masks in shops, public buildings and on public transport.
(Reporting by Jan Lopatka; Editing by Susan Fenton)
