Slovak stores opened up yesterday after a week of lockdown, but the only people that were supposed to work or shop in them are people with negative Covid-19 tests. Millions of Slovaks spent the weekend getting themselves tested on the orders of the government, which called upon those who tested positive to remain in quarantine. The government also said that only those with negative tests should report for work and threatened that only those with positive tests would receive benefits. However, the government’s orders left stores in the difficult position of having to decide whether they should check their customers for negative tests and even whether they had the right to do so. The daily Pravda spoke to numerous stores about situation and confirmed that there was a substantial level of confusion on how to proceed. None of the food stores as well as pharmacies and drug stores planned to check the tests of their customers. But Datart said it had instructed its 17 stores to assign staff to ensure that the maximum allowed number of customers wasn’t exceeded and to ensure that “valid measures” were adhered to. Panta Rhei book stores will rely on signs reminding customers of their legal duty not to enter non-essential stores without a negative test.
