COVID 19 - Information for foreigners living in Slovakia on measures taken by Slovak authorities

(information update as of February 18, 2021)

All information about COVID-19 and related measures can be found on the website korona.gov.sk. In addition to Slovak version, the web site is also available in English, German, Hungarian, Ukrainian, Romani and Russian.

Overview of important contacts: https://korona.gov.sk/en/contacts/

The public is informed about the current epidemiological situation in Slovakia and about the risk in the specific districts by the so-called COVID AUTOMAT. According to the epidemiological situation in the districts, these are classified into individual levels of risks and warnings (4 levels are distinguished by color: light pink, pink, red and the highest is black): https://korona.gov.sk/en/coronavirus-covid-19-in-the-slovak-republic-in-numbers/

I. State of emergency and residence of foreigners in the Slovak Republic

The emergency situation declared on 11 March 2020 is still ongoing. On 1 October 2020, the state of emergency was again declared and it was extended by 40 days on 8 February 2021. The ongoing emergency situation has a significant impact on the validity of the residence permits of foreigners in the Slovak Republic. In general, if a temporary, permanent or tolerated residence permit should expire during ongoing emergency situation or within one month of the recall, then it will not expire and it will be extended until two months after the recall of the emergency situation. For detailed information contact the IOM Migration Information Center: https://www.mic.iom.sk/en/

II. Testing

If you want to be tested for COVID-19, you must book for testing via the electronic form: https://korona.gov.sk/en/poziadat-o-vysetrenie-na-covid-19-en/

Testing for COVID-19 is done by antigen testing or PCR testing.
Antigen testing is free. You can find a list of antigens testing places here: https://covid.freevision.sk/
If you apply for PCR testing, which is indicated by your doctor or Regional Public Health Authority, the test is done free of charge. If you request a testing without a doctor's indication and contact one of the private laboratories, you will pay for the test by yourself.

Some villages and cities also provide testing through their own reservation system, resp. without the need for a reservation. You can find out through the website or Facebook of the specific village/city.

The list of Regional Public Health Offices you can find here:
https://www.uvzsr.sk/index.php?option=com_content&view=section&id=6&Itemid=58

III. Mandatory self-isolation

If you have had a positive result on COVID-19, you are subject to mandatory self-isolation:

contact your GP and let him know your result,
contact everyone with whom you have been in close contact for the last 14 days and tell them to stay in self-isolation and to register for a testing,
send a list of contacts (name and surname of the contact, telephone number) of people with whom you have been in close contact to the relevant Regional Public Health Offices.

The self-isolation lasts for 14 days from the date of testing with a positive result, provided that none of the clinical signs of the disease have occurred during the last three days of that period. If any of the clinical signs of the disease have occurred during the last three days of 14 days, the isolation shall be terminated only at the moment when the person positive for the disease is assessed by his GP as capable of terminating the self-isolation.

More information can be found at https://korona.gov.sk/co-mam-robit-ak-som-covid-19-pozitivny/

If you have been in close contact with a positive person, you are subject to mandatory self-isolation.
Self-isolation ends 14 days after the last contact with a positive person, if none of the symptoms occurred and the result of the test performed at the earliest on the 8th day after the contact with positive person is negative. If the test has not been carried out and none of the clinical signs of the disease have occurred within 14 days of the contact with positive person, self-isolation shall be terminated 14 days after the last contact.

More information can be found at: https://korona.gov.sk/co-mam-robit-ak-som-bol-v-uzkom-kontakte-s-covid-19/

IV. Self-isolation after the entrance to the Slovak Republic

From February 17th 2021, everyone who enters the Slovak Republic from abroad is obliged to undertake the 14-day self-isolation (domestic isolation or isolation in a state quarantine accommodation facility) and can take the PCR test earliest on the eighth day after arrival.
Upon entry from EU countries, Iceland, Norway, Liechtenstein, Switzerland and the United Kingdom, the self-isolation ends with the receipt of a negative result for RT-PCR test for COVID-19, or with an asymptomatic course of isolation on completion of day 14.
Upon entry from other countries, the quarantine ends with the receipt of a negative RT-PCR test for COVID-19.

When entering the Slovak Republic, everyone must register on the website
https://korona.gov.sk/en/ehranica/#

Detailed information can be found at https://korona.gov.sk/cestovanie-do-sr-od-17-2-2021/

V. Opening of schools

According to COVID AUTOMAT some kindergartens, the first four grades of primary schools and the last grade of secondary schools have opened on February 8^th 2021. To open a school, a negative test of the employees, a negative test of last-grade pupils and a negative test of at least one legal representative of younger pupils are required. In the so-called black districts of the COVID AUTOMAT no schools can be open.

COVID AUTOMAT can be found here: https://korona.gov.sk/koronavirus-na-slovensku-v-cislach/

Available information on the website of the Ministry of Education SR: https://www.minedu.sk/navrat-do-skol-2021-aktualizovany-k-8-2-2021/

An overview of current information has been prepared for you by Dáša Vranka Knošková, director of OZ Marginal and lawyer Viera Orichová within the KapaCITY project.