Slovenia Prepared for Coronavirus, Won’t Close Borders & Tells People to Keep Calm, Carry On

By , 27 Feb 2020, 15:24 PM Politics
Phyre2 model ribbion diagramm rendering of the 2019-nCoV coronavirus protease as a target for antiviral drugs. Phyre2 model ribbion diagramm rendering of the 2019-nCoV coronavirus protease as a target for antiviral drugs. Wikimedia - Christian C. Gruber Georg Steinkellner CC-by-SA-4.0

Share this:

STA, 27 February - The outgoing cabinet adopted on Thursday measures to contain the new coronavirus in case it spreads to Slovenia. It released strategic commodity reserves to ensure enough protective gear but noted that borders with neighbouring countries remained open and that there was no reason for panic.

No coronavirus infection has been recorded in Slovenia as yet, but the country has been preparing for it as neighbouring Italy, Austria and Croatia all have patients with COVID-19.

According to Health Minister Aleš Šabeder, protective masks, glasses, gloves, coats and hospital shoe covers will be available in case of emergency.

Equipment in the total value of EUR 200,000 will be made available, including 48,000 protective masks, 5,000 hazmat suits, 500,000 gloves and hand sanitizers, the Economy Ministry said.

Prime Minister Marjan Šarec added the strategic commodity reserves were intended for medical staff not citizens. "First we must protect public workers, so that they can help citizens efficiently," he said.

UKC Ljubljana gets masks for coronavirus

Meanwhile, the UKC Ljubljana hospital received 100,000 protective masks today, a donation from the company Labena. The hospital said the masks from state reserves would be used only if existing supplies and further orders would not be enough to cover the hospital's needs.

Based on an agreement with the neighbouring countries, borders remain open. Experience from Italy has shown that fierce measures did not stop the spreading of the disease while they could cause substantial economic damage, Šarec said.

Croatia is conducting checks at the border crossings, which is causing long tailbacks of traffic. "Such measures are not efficient. Tailbacks on the borders are causing economic damage," Šarec warned.

Croatian Prime Minister Andrej Plenković said in response that the measure was necessary. "Croatia acts as it should, peacefully and prudently, without panic, in order to protect public health and its citizens."

Hinting at Slovenia's measures at the Schengen border causing tailbacks in the past, Plenković said that "now we have a true reason to raise preparedness on the border, which is good both for us and for Slovenia".

Croatian President Zoran Milanović, who is meeting Slovenian counterpart Borut Pahor in Otočec, said that the Croatian government probably had reasons to take such measures, adding that panic was unwarranted.

Pahor said that measures should be coordinated. "It's about our people's health and we have to do everything in our power to help each other find solutions which would preserve health," he added.

Šarec also stressed that responsible action was needed otherwise the side effects of the protective measures could be more harmful than the virus itself.

The outgoing PM listed the problems that could emerge if people started withdrawing their money from banks in panic or buying supplies in abnormal quantities, which is already happening.

The civil protection will get involved in case of multiple infections, and so will the army, sanitary service and others, he asserted. "But we'e not there yet. So those who have called for closing of the borders are merely spreading panic."

Both Šarec and Šabeder rejected claims by the Medical Chamber that health institutions were not informed of the situation and measures.

Šabeder called on the chamber to "immediately stop sowing fear and panic among the people and medical staff".

Presenting the agreements reached at a meeting of health ministers of Italy and neighbouring countries in the face of the coronavirus outbreak in Europe, Šarec said countries had agreed not to close the borders and to exchange information about the virus. They will hold regular videoconferences to agree on protective measures.

As yet, no major events cancelled

As regards cancellations of public events, decisions will be made on a case-to-case basis, with Šarec noting that Slovenia would also host some major events in the near future such as the Ski Jumping World Cup events in Planica.

Šabeder said that protective gear was being inventoried in all hospitals and community health centres, and that no institute was without it. This week, Slovenia will join a European public order for more protective gear.

Full protective gear is required only during swab taking, Health Ministry State Secretary Simona Repar Bornšek explained. She added that there was no need for healthy people who come from countries where infections have been recorded to be taking sick leave.

Presenting the scenario for action if case of a positive test, she said the first infected patient would be hospitalised and their family members or those living with the person would be isolated while other would not be affected.

All our stories on coronavirus and Slovenia are here

Photo galleries and videos

This websie uses cookies. By continuing to browse the site you are agreeing to our use of cookies.