Slovakia puts unvaccinated into lockdown as Covid surges across Europe

Slovakia has one of the EU’s lowest vaccination rates, with 45% of people fully jabbed

Slovakia's Prime Minister Eduard Heger receives his first AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccination at the National Soccer Stadium in Bratislava (AP)

Slovakia will impose stricter measures for people who have not been vaccinated against coronavirus amid a surge in infections and hospital admissions that are stretching the health system, Prime Minister Eduard Heger said on Thursday.

The country of 5.5 million has seen a record number of cases in the past days, topping 8,000 on Tuesday, and said earlier this week that it had few intensive care beds available for coronavirus patients.

“It is a lockdown for the unvaccinated,” Heger told a news conference shown live on television.

Under the new rules, only people who have been vaccinated or who have had Covid-19 in the past six months will be allowed to enter restaurants, shopping malls, shops with non-essential goods, sports activities and public events.

Infections have been rising across parts of the continent, with some European countries experiencing a record number of daily cases in recent weeks.

Slovakia’s measures, taking effect next Monday and foreseen for three weeks, echo those adopted in neighbouring Austria this week, and are similar to rules implemented in Germany on Thursday.

Tighter rules will exempt those vaccinated and those who have overcome Covid-19 in the past six months.

Slovakia has one of the European Union’s lowest vaccination rates, with 45% of the total population vaccinated versus the EU average of 65%. It has reported 13,725 deaths since the start of the pandemic.

Some services including restaurants will face further restrictions in most-affected regions even for those vaccinated, only being able to serve take-away.

The new rules include the requirement to test unvaccinated people in workplaces in all but the least-affected regions.

Heger said vaccinated people would be the first to see some of the new restrictions eased.