Croatia: Government gradually eases some COVID-19 restrictions April 27 /update 4

Event

The Croatian government announced a three-phase plan on Monday, April 27, to ease the existing coronavirus disease (COVID-19) restrictions.

In the first phase, starting on April 27, all retail outlets, except those in shopping centers, will be permitted to open. Some services that do not require close contact with clients will also be able to operate such as tailors, key cutters, or tourist agencies. Public transportation will also gradually resume.

In the second phase, starting on Monday, May 4, authorities will restore services requiring close contact such as beauty and nail salons, barbers, and hairdressers.

In the last phase, starting on Monday, May 11, the government will allow gatherings of up to ten people and reopen schools from grades 1 to 4. Religious gatherings will be permitted as of Saturday, May 2, although it was not announced how many individuals will be permitted to attend a religious event at the same time. All domestic transportation services will resume, while Croatia Airlines will also recommence domestic flights on May 11.

Some restrictions will remain in place, such as, the ban on public events and large gatherings. 

As of Monday, April 27, Croatia has 2039 confirmed COVID-19 cases and 59 related deaths nationwide. Further international spread of the virus to be expected over the near term.

Context

The first case of COVID-19 was reported on December 31 and the source of the outbreak has been linked to a wet market in Wuhan (Hubei province, China). Human-to-human and patient-to-medical staff transmission of the virus have been confirmed. Many of the associated fatalities have been due to pneumonia caused by the virus.

Cases of the virus have been confirmed in numerous countries and territories worldwide. Virus-screening and quarantining measures are being implemented at airports worldwide, as well as extensive travel restrictions. On March 11, the World Health Organization (WHO) declared the global outbreak a pandemic.

Pneumonia symptoms include dry cough, chest pain, fever, and labored breathing. Pneumonia can be contagious and can be transmitted from human to human. The influenza virus, or the flu, is a common cause of viral pneumonia.

Advice

Measures adopted by local authorities evolve quickly and are usually effective immediately. Depending on the evolution of the outbreak in other countries, authorities are likely to modify, at very short notice, the list of countries whose travelers are subject to border control measures or entry restrictions upon their arrival to the territory in question. It is advised to postpone nonessential travel due to the risk that travelers may be refused entry or be subject to quarantine upon their arrival or during their stay.

To reduce the risk of COVID-19 transmission, travelers are advised to abide by the following measures:

• Frequently clean hands by applying an alcohol-based hand rub or washing with soap and water.
• When coughing and sneezing, cover mouth and nose with a flexed elbow or tissue; if used, throw the tissue away immediately and wash hands.
• If experiencing a fever, cough, and difficulty breathing, seek medical care urgently and share your previous travel history with your health care provider.