In other regions, namely the Goriška, Obalno-kraška, Primorsko-notranjska and Zasavska regions, all students from the first to ninth grade of primary school will continue with distance learning.

An important novelty introduced by the Ordinance is childcare for pre-school children and students of the first three grades of primary school in the black regions whose parents are unable to make other day care arrangements. This applies to children whose both parents are employed in critical infrastructure sectors, namely the energy, transport, food, drinking water supply, healthcare, finance, environmental protection, and information and communications networks sectors (Article 4 of the Critical Infrastructure Act), and in educational institutions, social security institutions, the Slovenian Armed Forces, and the Police.

For these children, emergency childcare and distance learning will be provided on the basis of a certificate from their employer. The same applies to pre-school children and students of single parents employed in the aforementioned sectors.

In such cases, kindergartens and schools will organise work and determine childcare and education providers. Emergency childcare at schools is provided by professionals who are not class teachers and do not conduct classes using distance learning; such childcare may also be provided by higher education students employed on a temporary or occasional basis.

On Monday, 1 February 2021, school employees in the red regions and employees who will provide emergency childcare in the same manner as they did last week will undergo rapid testing for SARS-CoV-2 in accordance with the Protocol. That is why, on Monday, distance learning will be provided for students of the first three grades of primary school in the red regions.

Plan for easing measures and permission to sell underwear and socks at the level of the entire country

In accordance with the Plan for easing measures, two criteria are key for moving between phases: the occupancy of hospital beds and the average number of confirmed COVID cases in the last seven days. The number of occupied hospital beds as at today is 1,106. The seven-day average of confirmed COVID cases today is 1,258, which is 13 cases more than the seven-day average recorded yesterday (1,245). According to these data, the country is in the red phase, with seven statistical regions in the red phase and five in the black.

The Ministry of Economic Development and Technology explained that shops that mainly sell groceries and personal care and cleaning products were allowed to sell socks and underwear and that this applied to the entire country.

They further explained that in the Osrednjeslovenska, Podravska, Gorenjska, Koroška, Primorsko-notranjska, Pomurska and Savinjska statistical regions the exception from the prohibition of offering and selling goods and services to consumers applies to:

– mobile stands for the sale of agricultural produce and products of farmers;

– service workshops in which repair and maintenance services of motor vehicles and bicycles are provided (car tyre services, car mechanic, car painting or bodywork workshops, bicycle repair workshops);

– specialised shops selling children's items.