Quarantine exceptions, restrictions on the validity of COVIDs and changes to the test protocol
Minister Poklukar began by presenting the current situation in hospitals.
Today, a total of 818 patients are hospitalized, 138 of whom need intensive care. Due to the increase in the number of patients, the Trbovlje General Hospital has been reactivated as a COVID-19 hospital, and there are currently 13 COVID-19 hospitals in Slovenia. With regard to Omicron infections, the expert circle last week presented a revised protocol for the treatment of patients with COVID-19. A new way of communicating data will start tomorrow. This will differentiate between patients hospitalized for COVID-19 and those who have COVID-19 as a related disease. Of the total number of hospital admissions, according to the latest data, 394 patients were admitted due to COVID-19 and 286 patients due to COVID-19-related diseases; Intensive care units received 119 patients with COVID-19 and 19 patients with COVID-19-related diseases.
Exceptions to quarantine
As of January 10, 2022, persons who have received an acceleration pulseie the third dose of COVID-19 vaccineso exempt from quarantine. Minister Poklukar emphasized that this exception was a move by the government and professional circles in favor of the economy and critical infrastructure, as it would significantly reduce the number of absentees.
Exceptions to quarantine are:
- persons who have survived COVID-19 for more than 10 days and received a second dose of vaccine, regardless of the sequence of recovery and vaccination; in
- persons who have recovered from COVID-19 in more than 10 days and less than 45 days.
As of Wednesday, 19 January 2022, exemptions from quarantine also apply to:
- persons employed in the health, social or educational sectors. These people must take a daily rapid antigen test (HAG) or self-test at work seven days after contact with an infected person. They must also wear an FFP2 mask and inform the employer of any contact with an infected person outside the workplace;
- pupils and students if there has been contact with an infected person in the classroom. They also have to take a quick antigen self-test every day in class. If more than 30% of students are infected, the whole class must be quarantined. The same goes for extracurricular activities;
- preschool children, unless more than 30% of the class is infected with COVID-19.
Restrictions on the validity of COVID certificates
As has been said many times, it is limiting the validity of the COVID digital certificate to 270 days will be enforced from 1 February 2022 onwardsas follows:
- persons vaccinated with a booster dose he will have unlimited validity of the certificate. This was confirmed by 3/3 and 2/1. Just an mRNA vaccine (BionTech / Pfizer or Moderna) will be considered a restorative vaccine. To date, 587,000 people have received a booster dose. Here is there are no restrictions on the validity of Covid digital certificates for children from 6 to 18 years;
- COVID digital certificate for fully vaccinated population (ie vaccinated with two doses but not the third, booster dose) valid for 270 days from the last vaccination. This was confirmed by 1/1 and 2/2. This means that all those who have been fully vaccinated by 1 May 2021 must receive a third booster dose of the vaccine in order for the QR code on their EU digital certificate COVID to remain valid.
Those vaccinated with the first dose of the vaccine within 180 days of recovery are recognized as fully vaccinated after only one dose of the vaccine.
As the rules for issuing an EU certificate in Slovenia must comply with EU regulations, recovery in connection with vaccination allows unlimited validity is recognized only in the following order: recovery from COVID-19, followed by vaccination with the first dose of vaccine in time and the second dose (cured + vaccinated + vaccinated).
Changes to the test protocol
The Minister of Health, Janez Poklukar, then presented the changes to the testing protocol, which will enter into force tomorrow, 1 February 2022. As of Tuesday, 1 February 2022, a positive rapid antigen test (RAT) is sufficient. to confirm COVID-19 infection and PCR testing will only be possible on the basis of a medical referral. The Minister emphasized that this was a temporary measure that would remain in force as long as COVID-19 was thus widespread among the population.
From 1 February 2022, Slovenia will also introduce a Slovenian COVID certificate, which confirms a positive result of the rapid test (RAT)..
The difference between the EU certificate and the new Slovenian COVID certificate is that it is EU COVID certificate affects Day 11 after confirmation of a positive rapid test (RAT) result.while it is Slovenian COVID certificate will shall enter into force on day 7 or 11 respectively for persons who have not shortened the period of isolation. The Slovenian COVID certificate will be valid only in Slovenia.
The Slovenian COVID certificate will not be valid in other countries and will not be valid for crossing the state border.
The Slovenian COVID certificate will be include QR code and the data set will be the same as the EU digital COVID certificate for rapid test (RAT), except that the Slovenian certificate state Yes the result of the rapid test was positive. The Slovenian COVID certificate will be verified with the same application as the EU COVID certificates.
The director of the Postojna Ministry of Health, Irena Vatovec, presented the work of the health care system at the primary level, ie at the level of family doctors, and emphasized that they have much more work to do with patients infected with the delta variant. , while the omicron variant is not as aggressive, although not everything is known about it yet.
Pediatrician Denis Baš, on behalf of basic pediatricians and school doctors, said that the new testing method is the best in the current situation and is a safe way to test children who are symptomatic or asymptomatic and positive for COVID-19 in rapid tests. . He emphasized that all children at risk of severe disease, such as cancer patients, children who have had a transplant, a weakened immune system or severe heart disease, and babies under six months of age will continue to sent for PCR testing. .