Eurasia Press & News
Despite concerns and questions in the lead-up, Slovaks pulled off the ambitious project to get most of the population tested over a single weekend. A quick mass-testing program using antigen tests offers the world a new way to fight the pandemic, says PM.
“It was the biggest and most difficult operation we have ever organised in Slovakia,” Igor Matovic, the prime minister, said on Monday about the experiment aimed at flattening the curve of the coronavirus pandemic in Slovakia. “The result speaks for itself: even I was surprised by the numbers.”
Over the weekend, more than 40,000 people, including medical workers, armed forces personnel, police, firefighters and volunteers pulled of the seemingly impossible: conducting 3,625,332 tests, uncovering over 38,000 positive cases in people who have now been sent into quarantine.
“I think we’ve taken a great step,” concluded Matovic, saying that Slovakia might have found an alternative to a strict lockdown.
Two weeks of sometimes chaotic preparations had created many doubts and concerns among doctors, the media, opposition politicians and even the president, Zuzana Caputova, who questioned the effectiveness of antigen tests, the risk of infection at testing sites and the pressure put on healthcare workers.
On Friday, President Caputova asked the government to reconsider going ahead with its plans, or at the very least change conditions for people who might not be able to get tested due to a lack of capacity. As of Monday, the Slovak government had loosened some restrictions for people with negative test results, who are now able to visit shops or a hairdresser after a week of stricter lockdown.
Ultimately, the testing went pretty smoothly, with the exception of several small logistical problems on Saturday morning. Forming long lines and keeping their social distance, people flocked to schools, theatres, squares, football fields, an airport and racetracks from early on Saturday morning.
And while local media and Facebook were inevitably full of criticism, doubts and disinformation, cities and villages across the country bore testament to public spiritedness. “Doing anything to fight COVID and protect our citizens is worth it,” said Patrik Jusko, a civil protection volunteer and coordinator of the biggest testing site in Bratislava at a racetrack.
“Even if the tests are not 100% successful, it is still better than sitting in the corner, doing nothing,“ he said, adding that he decided to help in order to protect the collapsing healthcare system.
“Everything was great, people were very nice, polite, local ladies even kept bringing cakes for us,” said Simona Lenhartova, a post-graduate student at the Institute of Virology, who took samples in the small village of Vidina. “I am very glad that I could help, and I would be happy to do it again.”
Over the weekend, Slovak social media were flooded with messages of support and gratitude towards the soldiers, municipalities and volunteers, as well as viral photos and videos from different testing sites.
In one video, a group of volunteers from Pribis in the Orava region, wearing white protective suits, respirators and shields, did a little dance to lift their spirits. And a popular satirical Zomri page shared little moments of humanity from all over the country: a policeman helping an old lady move to the front of the long line in Bratislava, another holding an umbrella for an older man in the rain, or police officers watching babies for parents while they got tested.
