What is COVID-19?

The coronavirus causing COVID-19 disease was identified in China at the end of 2019. It represents a new virus strain that had not been known in human environment yet. The disease ranks to droplet infections. The estimated incubation period of the disease is 2 to 14 days, may be even longer.

What are symptoms of the disease?

  • fever above 38°C
  • cough
  • shortness of breath
  • muscle pain
  • headache
  • fatigue, faintness
  • the loss of smell and taste

When can a patient be considered recovered

A patient with confirmed COVID-19 disease who is free of disease symptoms must stay in quarantine for another 10 days. If they do not show any signs of the disease afterwards, he quarantine ends.

Persons that have been in mandatory 10-day home quarantine from preventive reasons, , e.g. due to a return from abroad, who are not showing any symptoms of the COVID-19 disease, may return to the common life without necessity of consequent testing.

Prevention

Within prevention, the Public Health Authority of the Slovak Republic issued an action based on which it is prohibited to leave one’s house and move in the public without covering the upper airways. Thus, all citizens are obliged to wear a mask everywhere except their homes.

Furthermore, the public is recommended to take the following preventive actions:

  • Wash your hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds. If soap and water are not available, you should use an alcohol-based hand disinfectant.
  • Do not touch your eyes, nose or mouth with unwashed hands.
  • Cover your nose and mouth while coughing or sneezing with a disposable paper tissue, then dispose it to a waste bin.
  • Avoid close contact with people showing symptoms of cold or flu.
  • If you are ill, please contact your general practitioner who will decide the further process of treatment; when at home, treat yourself in a separate room.
  • Take care to increase disinfection of surfaces in your household.
  • Please use disposable gloves in areas with movement of many people (stores, postal office, public transport…).

Epidemic counter-measures

Pre osoby Epidemic counter-measures based on the latest available knowledge of this disease are applicable for people in contact with a COVID-19 case.:

  • The incubation time of the COVID-19 is 2 to 14 days, may be even longer. The median incubation time is 5 to 6 days.
  • A person with present clinical symptoms is considered the most infectious. However, the person is infectious even before onset of first symptoms.
  • Mainly air transmission is assumed. Fecal-oral transmission is not excluded.
  • Based on available information, nosocomial (in-hospital) spreading of COVID-19 disease is anticipated in healthcare facilities where it is needed to keep further epidemic counter-measures for healthcare professionals.

The epidemic counter-measures applied for people in close contact are:

  • Duration of counter-epidemic quarantine actions (medical supervision, increased medical supervision, quarantine) is 10 days from the latest contact with a COVID-19 case and they are ordered by the respective Regional Public Health Authority.
  • Order of daily monitoring of symptoms typical for the disease caused by SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus (sudden onset of at least one of these symptoms: cough, shortness of breath, fever).
  • Ban on social contacts (for example visit to a cinema, social and mass events).
  • Ban on travelling.
  • Lockdown in household or hospital based on individual assessment of the household type (the ability to stay in a separate room, presence of people with risk factors for contracting of the infection), ability to maintain the regime measures etc.
  • Limitation of work activities, school attendance.
  • In case of symptoms, call immediately to your general practitioner and the regionally relevant Public Health Authority.