Vulnerable groups such as the disabled, pensioners and pregnant women are being given one more dedicated shopping hour from Saturday after being so far encouraged to shop for supplies only between 8am and 10am to minimise the risk of coronavirus infection.
Under a decision taken by the government last night, two time slots will be reserved for vulnerable groups from Saturday, between 8am and 10am, and between 5pm and 6pm, when shops close.
Pensioners will be allowed to shop only during those times, the Government Communication Office said.
The extra hour comes after several associations called for a longer time slot dedicated to vulnerable groups, including the Trade Union of Pensioners and the coalition Pensioners’ Party (DeSUS). DeSUS proposed an additional time slot between 1pm and 3pm.
The party argued that offering only the two-hour morning slot to more than 650,000 people was not appropriate.
On Thursday, Equal Opportunities Ombudsman Miha Lobnik and the association Silver Lining called for extension of the time slot reserved for those most at risk from 8am to noon.
The government amended the decree at today’s correspondence session and the new version was already published in the Official Gazette.