President: Lockdown needed, Slovakia losing fight against pandemic

BRATISLAVA. KAZINFORM - President Zuzana Caputova, speaking after her visit to the hospital in the Bratislava borough of Ruzinov on Tuesday, stated that Slovakia is losing the battle against the pandemic and that a lockdown for everybody is needed, TASR reports.

Pointing to the «alarming» state of affairs concerning the pandemic, the president admitted that a lockdown is an unpopular measure, but she views it as «absolutely necessary» for one to be imposed at this time.

«The situation is so grave that this kind of measure, which is recommended by experts, must concern everybody,» she said, conceding, however, that it will be unfair on all the people who’ve behaved responsibly, observed the measures and had themselves vaccinated.

«[Slovakia] is the worst country in the statistics of newly infected individuals per one million inhabitants. I don’t know … what else we need to see or hear in order to change our attitude,» said Caputova. The president hopes that when the most adverse situation passes, the level of responsibility shown by certain people will be taken into account afterwards.

She’s also dismayed at the fact that medical staff are facing threats and hatred despite their best efforts.

At the same time, Caputova called on people to «stop blathering about COVID and start listening to experts».