STA, 26 May 2021 - Slovenia formally remains in tier yellow of coronavirus restrictions, despite meeting the conditions for the green tier, where most restrictions would be lifted. The current regime will remain in place until 6 June, save for some changes to rules governing the convention industry, the government decided on Wednesday.
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The Health Ministry's advisory group on Covid-19 led by Mateja Logar, proposed the government not to ease any more measures yet despite the fact that the rolling seven-day average of new cases dropped below 300 on Tuesday, which is a condition for moving to the green tier.
"Given that we are still in the state of epidemic it would be a bit illogical to lift all restrictions," Logar told the STA before the government session.
She said the ministries had been tasked with presenting proposals for easing restrictions while the country is still in the epidemic and afterwards. They are to be discussed by the Covid-19 group on Monday.
National coordinator of the Covid-19 vaccination logistics Jelko Kacin told the press earlier today that there had been some last weekend where many people had gathered and that experts were monitoring the consequences of these events in the regions where they had taken place.
When the incubation period expires for the attendants next week, it will be possible to assess whether new local outbreaks of infections can be expected and how massive they could be, he said.
Kacin did not specify which events may be problematic, but there was significant merry-making in Murska Sobota after the local football club won the first title of national champion.
He said they were still very concerned about what lifting of restrictions in sports could cause.
The plan at the moment seems to be gradual lifting of restrictions. "We will not miss out on anything if we keep the current regime for another weekend," he said.
The government also slightly amended the rules for convention industry, which was allowed to resume on 21 May under the condition that employees are either tested, vaccinated or reconvalescent, and visitors move only in one direction.
While initially the number of persons was limited to one person per 10 square metres, now the number of persons in closed public spaces or open air venues with fixed seats will be restricted to 50% of seating capacity with one seat empty between visitors.
In open-air venues with no fixed seats, the seats will have to be placed one metre apart. In open-air venues with no seats, visitors will have to keep a distance of at least 1.5 metres.
Slight easing of border restrictions, new red list of countries confirmed
STA, 26 May 2021 - The government has amended the decree governing coronavirus restrictions on borders. Effective on 30 May, accompanied children under 15 will not need to have a Covid certificate and the red list of countries will be split to lower- and higher-risk countries, designated as light and dark red.
Children under 15 who cross the border in groups accompanied by teachers or custodians, or who travel with family members who are not required to quarantine, will not have to produce a negative test to avoid quarantine.
Covid certificates from Serbia will be recognised, after the move had been announced by both countries' foreign ministers yesterday.
Since early May, Slovenia also recognises negative PCR tests done in Serbia as well as in all EU and Schengen zone members, Australia, Israel, Canada, New Zealand, Russia, the UK, and the US. At airports tests from Turkey are recognised as well.
Covid certificates proving that the passenger has had Covid-19 in the past six months are also recognised from all these countries.
The red list of high-risk countries has been split into light red and dark red.
Countries are placed on the dark red list when the 14-day incidence per 100,000 population exceeds 500, there is increased risk of more virulent Covid-19 variants, or when the number of weekly tests they perform is below 300 per 100,000 population.
Among EU and Schengen zone countries, the dark red lists contains only individual administrative units of France, Croatia, Lithuania, Netherlands and Sweden, plus 38 third countries.
For the light red list, the thresholds are a 14-day incidence of 50-100 and the test positivity rate of 4% or higher, or when the 14-day incidence is 150-500 cases.
The remaining EU and Schengen zone members plus 86 third countries are on the light red list.
It was not immediately clear from the press release after the government session whether the entry requirements for light red and dark red countries will be different.
The news portal 24ur reports they will be the same, adding that the new dark red list was introduced for the sake of having a single standard at the EU level.
