As US President-elect Joe Biden outlined his $1.9 trillion Covid-19 relief plan Slovakia has decided on a street-wise way of administering vaccines outdoors in cities and towns.
Slovakia’s parliament has decided that ‘jabs’ will be given outside doctor’s surgeries, despite freezing temperatures, to speed up the inoculation process.
In the US the pandemic death toll could pass 400,000 before Biden is sworn in on Wednesday, according to a CDC ensemble projection.
But in SlovakiaCOVID-19 infections are decreasing with 2,502 new infections reported on average each day. That’s 77% of the peak — the highest daily average reported on January 6.
There have been 222,752 infections and 3,417 coronavirus-related deaths reported in the country since the pandemic began.
And in another move showing the determination of Slovak leaders have negotiated a deal that, if hospitals fill up beyond capacity patients can be hospitalise in neighbouring countries. Their health care will be covered, with health insurers told to issue patients with documents free-of-charge.
There is also a clampdown on perceived corruption. People who attempt to give shots to people not on the authorised list will face a fine of €10,000.
The latest moves received support from 79 out of 89 present lawmakers.
Third and fourth-grade medical students are to give COVID-19 tests without supervision.
Following reports of the new coronavirus mutation in Slovakia, a local company has presented a dedicated PCR test to help combat the spread.
The test’s developer, MultiplexDX International, reported that trials have ended last week.
Meanwhile The UK has banned arrivals from multiple Latin American countries and Portugal following reports of a new coronavirus variant in Brazil.
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I’m sure anyone would find the details about how a small country like Slovakia is coping with the pandemic, totally absorbing. One reason, of course, is that we inevitably contrast their methodology with our own country’s. Forgetting (for the moment) the chopping and changing and unclear messages of our UK government they are now making a worthy effort to get the vaccine out quickly and mostly efficiently. The idea of asking the elderly and vulnerable to stand in the street to get the jab is disturbing. Here, I had my first jab a few days ago. Massive areas have been transformed – The World Heritage Centre, The Manchester City Football Stadium, are just two examples. There were old people standing queueing in the bitter cold last Friday. They were taken inside with every possible speed and dozens of volunteers were there to meet every need. The building was icy cold inside because their policy was to leave open every door and window (against the virus). Distancing and constant cleaning and sanitizing was the heart of it all. A doctor was available to answer any questions before the patients arrived at the front of the queue. A chair was placed every few metres so that they could sit rather than stand. In spite of this our infection rate and death rates are soaring. There is controversy however about the government’s decision to delay the second dose of the vaccine from 21 days after the first to twelve weeks after. The logic is that the more individuals who get the first the better. So, although 21 days was being publicized as absolutely crucial to success, they now try to tell us that waiting for twelve weeks is perfectly effective. I understand that scientists in other parts of the world are against this change of decision. How can we argue? How can we know? In the end, although we stamp our feet about each change we are like ‘sheep’ in their hands. And in such a grave situation we have to accept this to a certain degree.