14 Dec 2021, 16:00 PM

Ljubljana Mayor: New Year's Eve Celebrations Uncertain

STA, 14 December 2021 - The city of Ljubljana has its New Year's Eve celebration programme in Congress Square ready, but is still waiting for the health authorities to say in what format, or if at all, it can go ahead with it, Mayor Zoran Janković told the press on Tuesday.

As Ljubljana's 31 December outdoor celebrations always draw thousands of people, the mayor has asked National Institute of Public Health (NIJZ) director Milan Krek two weeks ago whether the celebrations could go ahead.

According to Janković, Krek said yes, telling the mayor the format could be similar to the Ljubljana Festival last summer when there had to be space between chairs.

But since one cannot sit still in winter at -7 degrees Celsius, Janković suggested NIJZ approved a free concert and told the city how many vaccinated and reconvalescent people could attend it, but received no reply.

Janković was also critical of the recent government decision to close stalls serving food and drink at Christmas markets, saying it was a senseless measure.

He also believes there is no legal basis for it, and said that one of the Ljubljana public utilities had already filed a lawsuit against the government.

He moreover criticised Prime Minister Janez Janša for posting an "offensive" tweet in which he accused Janković of working hard for as many people as possible to fall ill and for schools, kindergartens and shops to close, as he posted a video of people walking around the stalls by the river Ljubljanica.

Janković said that Ljubljana had many visitors, who were now crowding in a smaller area than before, when the stalls had been still open. He believes it would be "more normal" to send out a positive message along the lines "light is coming, let's get vaccinated".

He thus urged all unvaccinated Ljubljana residents to get a jab, arguing some 10% of the city's population is preventing the rest to live normally.

Quoting NIJZ data, he said Ljubljana has the highest vaccination rate (59%) in central Slovenia, the region with the highest vaccination rate in the country (57.5%), while another 18% of Ljubljana residents are reconvalescents.

"If we add the number of vaccinated to the number of reconvalescents, we get 77%, and if we add another 40,000 school and kindergarten kids, who account for 13% of our residents, we are at 90%," the mayor said.

14 Dec 2021, 12:08 PM

Omicron Confirmed in Ljubljana, But COVID Numbers Still Falling

STA, 14 December 2021 - Slovenia has joined the list of countries in which the highly infectious Omicron variant of Sars-CoV-2 has been confirmed, Prime Minister Janez Janša announced during questions time in parliament on Tuesday. He said a cluster of infections with the variant had been detected in Ljubljana.

Miroslav Petrovec, the head of the Institute of Microbiology and Immunology, whose lab detected the variant, told the press that the Omicron variant had been found in four samples, all of them in Ljubljana.

The period in which the samples were taken is 29 November to 6 December. One person with Omicron had already had Covid last year.

"The discovery of Omicron could announce a new wave," Health Minister Janez Poklular said at today's press conference, also pointing to the fact that the declining trend in new daily cases is slowing down.

He thus reiterated the call for vaccination, saying that the vaccination campaign would intensify in the coming days, including with the support of local communities.

He also urged all medical staff to send a clear message to the people that vaccination is safe and efficient.

According to Marta Grgič Vitek, the national vaccination coordinator, citizens are invited to get a booster jab after six months although the Covid pass for the vaccinated will be valid for nine months.

So far 1,171,573 people or 56% of the entire population have been fully vaccinated. An additional 351,684 people have had their booster jabs.

1,712 New Cases of COVID as Declining Trend Slows

STA, 14 December 2021 - Slovenia confirmed 1,712 new cases of coronavirus on Monday, down by about a tenth on the week before, as the decline in daily caseload appears to be slowing down. A further 14 Covid-19 patients have died.

Over the last month daily cases were declining by 20%-30% on a weekly basis, but Monday marked the second day in a row that the case count dropped by only a tenth.

The PCR test positivity rate was 33.5%, broadly in line with trend, show data from the government and the National Institute of Public Health (NIJZ).

The 14-day incidence per 100,000 population was down by 37 to 1,013, whereas the rolling 7-day average of daily cases was down by 34 to 1,352.

The figures come from the highest number of daily rapid antigen tests performed to date, almost 97,000.

Government data show Covid-19 hospitalisations dropping by 57 from yesterday to 817 this morning, as ICU cases declined by one to 235.

With an additional 14 fatalities, the total death toll from Covid-19 has climbed to 5,820, show the Health Ministry's data after being adjusted with those of the NIJZ.

All the latest data on COVID and Slovenia

14 Dec 2021, 12:04 PM

COVID-19 Vaccination Starts for Children Aged 5-11 in Slovenia

STA, 14 December 2021 - Vaccination of children aged 5 to 11 could start in Slovenia today as the advisory group on immunization at the National Institute of Public Health (NIJZ) approved a proposal by paediatricians to recommend Covid-19 vaccination for children last evening.

The paediatricians recommended vaccination for children in this age group with chronic diseases, and for those who are in contact with higher-risk persons that cannot be effectively protected by vaccination. They also believe vaccination is reasonable and safe for other children between the ages of five and eleven, paediatrician Denis Baš told the STA on Monday evening.

The group had previously recommended vaccinating children over the age of 12 as well, especially those suffering from chronic diseases, following the European Medicines Agency's (EMA) approval of the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine for children in May.

Support for vaccinating children was also expressed by Slovenian paediatricians in a survey conducted between 25 November and 5 December, whose results have shown that 77% of them had already decided to vaccinate their own children against Covid-19, while another 9% planned to do so.

Baš said that vaccination of children aged 5 to 11 could start on Tuesday, when the vaccines in smaller and less concentrated doses specially adapted for children will become available at vaccination sites.

13 Dec 2021, 15:34 PM

Hospitality Providers to Sue Govt Over COVID Restrictions at Christmas Markets

STA, 13 December 2021 - The government ban on outdoor food and drink stalls has dampened down the festive mood at Christmas markets across Slovenia as inspectors clamped down on the vendors trying to get around the restrictions. Dismayed at what they see as unfair and unlawful rules, hospitality providers are now mounting class action to claim damages.

The government initially detailed rules for Christmas markets on 26 November when those had already opened in some cities, setting out that they should be fenced off to make sure only Covid pass-carrying visitors are allowed inside the railings.

However, only a week later, prompted by its Covid-19 advisors, the government banned the serving of food and drinks at open-air stalls to prevent socialising around the cup of mulled wine that is very popular in the country this time of year.

With the roasted chestnuts exempted from the ban, the new government regulation led to a rather comical exchange between the chief Covid adviser and the Ljubljana mayor over what makes chestnuts less of a Covid risk.

The Ljubljana authorities then appeared to have found a loophole in arguing that the ban only concerned fair-like activity rather than open-air market stalls and reopened food and drink markets by the Ljubljana central market last Wednesday.

In some other cities, vendors moved their stalls closer to their hospitality establishments, which can serve their seated guests outdoors, and in Koper and Maribor only seated guests got served from stalls.

However, inspectors moved fast and first sealed stalls in Ljubljana on Thursday and then closed down those in Koper's Tito Square as well. The stalls in Maribor were ordered to close today after they were first allowed to operate.

Insisting that the open-air market activity has not been banned, the utility operating Ljubljana markets and the affected hospitality providers will seek justice in court in cooperation with Nataša Pirc Musar, a prominent lawyer.

Similarly upset are the vendors in Koper, who have acquired a legal opinion saying that the closure was unlawful and illegitimate and are thus preparing to bring a joint damages suit, their representative Andrej Krmac has announced.

A further issue is that while Christmas markets are no longer appealing to visitors, beer and restaurant gardens or even the stalls attached to them, such as those along the river Ljubljanica in the capital, are teeming with festive crowds.

In Celje, Kranj and Bled, hospitality stalls operating as part Christmas markets have been closed down as the government ban kicked in. However, hospitality and tourism officials are complaining about the impact on business.

13 Dec 2021, 10:27 AM

Number of New COVID Cases Lowest Since Mid-October

STA, 13 December 2021 - The number of new coronavirus cases continues to drop in Slovenia, with 677 new cases detected on Sunday, the lowest daily count since mid-October. The National Institute of Public Health (NIJZ) estimates there are about 22,100 active cases in the country.

Government data show that a further 16 Covid-19 patients died yesterday. Hospitalisations totalled 874 this morning, down by nine on the day before, including 236 in intensive care, down by seven.

The youngest hospitalised patient is 19 years old, whereas the youngest person requiring intensive care is 20 years old.

The 7-day case average dropped by 13 to 1,386 and the 14-day incidence per 100,000 population by 16 to 1,050.

The number of active cases decreased by 358 to 22,129.

The test positivity rate stood at 38.7% yesterday, down by three percentage points from a week ago. The latest daily tally of cases shows a drop of some 13% in weekly comparison.

The latest data on COVID and Slovenia can always be found here

13 Dec 2021, 10:13 AM

Slovene-English Dual Text: Cepivo Ali Zdravilo Proti Novemu Koronavirusu?

Časoris is an online newspaper aimed at children. Each week we’ll take an article and post it here as a Slovene-English dual text.

Cepivo ali zdravilo proti novemu koronavirusu?

A vaccine or medicine against a new coronavirus?

Written by Dora Adamič, translated by JL Flanner & G Translate

Zadnje čase pogosto slišimo o zdravilih proti bolezni, ki jo povzroča novi koronavirus.

Lately, we often hear about drugs against the disease caused by the new coronavirus.

Kako ločimo cepivo od zdravila?

How do we distinguish a vaccine from a drug?

»Cepiv in zdravil ne moremo primerjati, saj popolnoma drugače učinkujejo. S cepivom poskušamo preprečiti bolezen, z zdravili pa bolezen zdravimo,« pojasnjuje specializant infektologije David Zupančič.

"Vaccines and medicines cannot be compared, because they work completely differently. We try to prevent the disease with vaccines, and we treat the disease with drugs, ”explains David Zupančič, a specialist in infectology.

»Bolj svetujemo cepljenje kot poskuse, da bolezen prebolimo in pozdravimo.«

"Vaccination is more advisable than trying to get over and cure the disease."

Covid-19 je virusno obolenje, zato ga ne moremo zdraviti z antibiotiki. Ti delujejo le na bakterijske okužbe.

COVID-19 is a viral disease, so it cannot be treated with antibiotics. These only work on bacterial infections.

Pri virusnih okužbah običajno pustimo, da se imunski sistem spopade z okužbo.

In viral infections, we usually let the immune system fight the infection.

Ob tem blažimo simptome, znižamo denimo telesno temperaturo in veliko počivamo. Tega ne smemo enačiti z zdravljenjem.

At the same time, we alleviate the symptoms, such as reducing our body temperature and resting a lot. This should not be equated with treatment.

Zdravila proti novemu koronavirusu pridejo v poštev le pri hujših potekih bolezni kot zadnja izbira, saj imajo mnogo stranskih učinkov.

Drugs against the new coronavirus are only considered in more severe cases as the last resort, as they have many side effects.

Poleg tega delujejo na različne načine in moramo biti pri njihovi uporabi previdni.

In addition, they work in different ways, and we need to be careful when using them.

V zadnjem času se veliko govori o protivirusnem zdravilu remdesivir, ki zavira razmnoževanje virusa.

There has been a lot of talk lately about the antiviral drug remdesivir, which inhibits the replication of the virus.

Poznamo tudi zdravljenje s protitelesi, ki se tarčno vežejo na virus. Obstaja več vrst protiteles – nekatera pomagajo imunskemu sistemu pri prepoznavanju in uničevanju virusa, druga pa lahko zaustavijo njegovo razmnoževanje.

We also know of treatment with antibodies that target the virus. There are several types of antibodies – some help the immune system recognize and destroy the virus, while others can stop it from reproducing.

V kasnejši fazi, ko lahko pride do pljučnice, so zelo učinkoviti steroidi. Steroidi zavirajo naš imunski sistem, da ne pride do prehudega vnetja, ki lahko povzroči hude poškodbe organov.

At a later stage, when pneumonia can occur, steroids are very effective. Steroids suppress our immune system to prevent excessive inflammation, which can cause severe organ damage.

Če steroide uporabimo prezgodaj, lahko zavremo lastno obrambo proti virusu in poslabšamo stanje.

If we use steroids too early, we can slow down our own defences against the virus and make the condition worse.

»V Sloveniji se za zdravljenje covida-19 uporabljajo steroidi, protivirusno zdravilo remdesivir, infuzije protiteles, v posebnih pogojih tudi druga monoklonska protitelesa. Na poti pa sta še dve zelo obetavni novi protivirusni zdravili, ki ju že nestrpno pričakujemo,« dodaja David Zupančič.

"In Slovenia, steroids, the antiviral drug remdesivir, antibody infusions and, under special conditions, other monoclonal antibodies are used to treat COVID-19. There are two other very promising new antiviral drugs on the way, which we are already looking forward to, "adds David Zupančič.

Read more stories and improve your Slovene at Časoris, while all our dual texts can be found here.

10 Dec 2021, 11:06 AM

Inspectors Close Food, Drink Stalls in Ljubljana's Pogačar Square, Threaten Fines

STA, 10 December 2021 - Financial inspectors have closed down food and drink stalls at Ljubljana's marketplace in Pogačar Square, according to media reports on Thursday, after having previously issued a warning to the stall vendors.

The inspectors visited the stalls on Wednesday, warned the vendors about breaching the anti-epidemic regulations, and announced that they would return the next day and issue fines to the owners of any stalls found to be reopened.

The inspectors' threats were carried out and all four food stalls were closed, according to media reports, while Economy Minister Zdravko Počivalšek told Radio Slovenia that the government had done everything to allow food stall vendors to operate normally.

Restaurants can still serve food and drinks to guests who are seated, said Počivalšek, adding that the government had done a lot to "keep the main part of the business alive". He also called on people to respect the decrees adopted by the government.

The government imposed a ban last Friday on the serving of food and drinks at outdoor stalls, but the city of Ljubljana initially appeared to have found a loophole, arguing that the ban affected hospitality at fairs rather than markets.

Andrej Orač, director of the utility operating the Ljubljana open-air markets, said on Wednesday that market activity in Pogačar Square was allowed, including hospitality.

He added the ban on sale at Ljubljana's open-air markets was incomprehensible as the goods involved were sold there throughout the year, which included the food court and stalls selling garments.

09 Dec 2021, 12:55 PM

Week-on-Week COVID Numbers Continue to Fall in Slovenia

STA, 9 December 2021 - Slovenia logged 1,687 new coronavirus infections for Wednesday as a week-on-week drop in cases continued, show fresh data by the National Institute of Public Health (NIJZ). Nine Covid-related deaths were recorded, according to government data.

The rolling 7-day average dropped further to 1,566, down by 63 from the day before, and the cumulative 14-day incidence was also down by 46 to 1,185, according to the NIJZ.

The estimated number of active cases, 24,979, fell by nearly 1,000 compared to the day before.

Government data show that the number of persons hospitalised with Covid-19 stood at 948, down by 15 compared to the day before, of whom 248 were in intensive care, a daily drop of 10.

The youngest patient in hospital is 19 years old, while the youngest in intensive care is 28.

The test positivity rate stood at 28.4% yesterday.

All the latest data on COVID and Slovenia

08 Dec 2021, 19:46 PM

Ljubljana Rejects Ban on Serving Food, Drink at Outdoor Markets

STA, 8 December 2021 - Just days after the government imposed a ban on the serving of food and drinks at outdoor stalls, these reopened in the square by Ljubljana's main produce market on Wednesday, having been given the go-ahead from the city authorities.

Addressing a press conference, Andrej Orač, director of the utility operating the Ljubljana open-air markets, said market activity in Pogačar Square was allowed back in business, including hospitality.

He said the ban on sale at Ljubljana's open-air markets was incomprehensible as the goods involved were sold there throughout the year, which included the food court and stalls selling garments.

The city appears to have found a loophole, arguing that the ban affected hospitality at fairs rather than markets. The ban was imposed to prevent socialising and spread of coronavirus at Christmas markets.

Mojca Škrinjar, an MP for the ruling Democratic Party (SDS), accused the city authorities of "bending the rules", and Mayor Zoran Janković of sinking to a "new low" having demonstrated before "he doesn't care about Ljubljana people's health".

Both Orač and Janković urged residents and visitors to comply with precautionary measures and get vaccinated against Covid-19 even as Janković criticised restrictions imposed on Christmas markets.

Commenting on a tweet in which PM Janez Janša accused him of trying hard to get as many people as possible sick, Janković said the city administration had recently received a letter from the local branch of the National Institute of Public Health thanking them for their contribution to the combat against the pandemic.

07 Dec 2021, 19:02 PM

Medical Ethics Committee Approves Anti-COVID Drug Lagevrio for Slovenia

STA, 7 December 2021 - Slovenia's national medical ethics committee has no reservations towards Lagevrio, a medicine also known as molnupiravir. The committee maintains that the drug brings significant progress in fighting the coronavirus epidemic, as it prevents a severe course of Covid-19 or death.

The European Medicines Agency (EMA) recommended the drug for coronavirus treatment on 19 November even if it is not yet registered.

The oral anti-viral drug, being developed by Merck Sharp & Dohme in collaboration with Ridgeback Biotherapeutics, is intended for the treatment of Covid-19 in adults.

The EMA recommends it to be prescribed to adults, except pregnant women, who do not need oxygen support yet but given their medical condition, they are likely to develop a severe form of Covid-19.

It should be taken five days after coronavirus symptoms appear or as early as possible after a positive test result, the committee summarised the agency's recommendation.

The committee recommends that doctors in Slovenia inform in detail patients eligible for the medicine about its properties and potential side effects.

The explanation can be written, but it should be written so as to be understood by anyone, the committee, which is part of the Health Ministry, said on Tuesday.

"Once a patient is informed about everything, they should decide on their own and without any pressure whether to take Lagevrio or not."

The patient consenting to treatment with the new drug should sign the consent and the doctor should initial it until the drug is registered, the recommendation reads.

Doctors are also advised to monitor effects of the new drug and potential side effects for each patient separately.

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