Incoming test results confirm that Slovakia’s country-wide testing is effective instrument for combating COVID-19

As at 12:00 on Saturday, the incoming test results for Slovakia’s country-wide testing show that a total of 553,377 people got a swab test at 2,714 test sites in 45 “red” high risk and 22 “green” districts. Of them, 3,677 tested positive for the virus, equating to 0.66% of all people tested. All 2,736 test sites are currently fully stocked with material and equipment and the tasks of Op Shared Responsibility are being delivered according to plan. The situation is calm and testing has been underway seamlessly at most of the test sites, Prime Minister Igor Matovič and Defence Minister Jaroslav Naď announced after visiting several test sites in Topoľčany, Trenčín and Skalica.

Prime Minister Igor Matovič called the nation-wide testing an effective instrument for combating COVID-19. After our experience from Orava and Bardejov district, the incoming test results prove that we can bring the number of positive cases down by over 50%. “Slovakia has an effective weapon for the fight against COVID-19 as we enter this harsh winter, so does the whole of Europe,” he said. For example, Austria, Switzerland and Germany have reported a 100% surge in the number of positive cases over the past two weeks.

According to Prime Minister Igor Matovič, Slovakia set out on its own journey with the pilot two weeks ago and since then the number of positive cases has dramatically gone down to 20%, while over the past few days the latest figures are getting into the minus range against the figures last week. “We are part of a big step forward for Slovakia and a great step for the whole of Europe, because an answer to the question whether there is a different alternative to lockdown is useful to everyone,” said the Prime Minister and extended “a huge thank you to all of you involved in this little big Slovak miracle”.

Defence Minister Jaroslav Naď thanked for the selfless commitment of all those involved in mass testing, in particular, for the assistance and support of local authorities. Currently, test sites are open at full 100% capacity in Slovakia. He praised people for coming forward and asked those who want to come to the “green” districts where there are long queues for Covid tests to visit the test sites in the “red” districts.

Currently, 20,996 people are deployed in support of Op Share Responsibility, of which 3,562 are Armed Forces personnel, 2,674 police officers, 106 Financial Administration Authority staffers, 88 firefighters, 45 members of the Mountain Rescue Service, 8,869 medical professionals, 4,773 administrative aids and 879 volunteers.

Speaking at a test site in Rimavská Sobota, the Defence Minister reported on two incidents. A medical professional was given a blood alcohol content (BAC) test and had an alcohol level of 1.88 promile. He pointed out that this test site was voluntarily set up by local authorities and they are responsible for their personnel, except for soldiers and police officers. He added that the doctor was immediately withdrawn and replaced by a new medical professional within 35 minutes. He praised how quickly a local soldier and a police officer responded to the drunken doctor and how promptly they resolved the situation. There was also a tragic death of a 68-year old man in Prešov who collapsed while waiting in a queue, most probably dying of a heart attack. He expressed his condolences to the next of kin of the departed elderly man.