Around 40% of Czech internet users believe in conspiracy theories about the COVID-19 pandemic, a survey conducted by the STEM agency revealed. While half the population is convinced that the virus was made in a laboratory, 10% of Czechs believe the real purpose of vaccination is to inject microchips into human bodies and to control the whole society. At the same time, 6% of internet users have been actively spreading disinformation about the coronavirus via e-mail or social media. As the STEM agency pointed out, Czechs are prone to believe in conspiracy theories but so far it has not led to boycotts or restrictive measures. 38 percent of respondents have lost confidence in government information. About a fifth said they had stopped trusting public service news. The greatest trust (around 70 percent), was maintained by information from immunologists, general practitioners, doctors and nurses. According to STEM, mistrust in official information and misinformation are reflected in how people say they follow basic anti-epidemic measures. “Society’s misinformation and suspicion about the epidemic is relatively high. So far, this has not led to people boycotting the measures massively, but it is a warning,” said research co-author Nikola Hořejš. The Czech government has been...
The Czech government ordered blanket testing of employees in companies around the country. Companies with over 250 employees will have to start testing on Wednesday and conclude the first round of testing no later than March 12, companies with over 50 employees no later than March 15. The fine for failing to comply can reach half a million crowns. Around 2.1 million employees will be tested in the next two weeks. According to the new measures, large- and medium-sized companies must test all employees in order to continue operating during the pandemic. The state will fund four tests per employee per month. Employees working from home are not required to be tested. “We are not stopping industry. However, comprehensive testing in companies will be mandatory. This makes them part of the solution to the Covid crisis,’’ said Karel Havlíček (ANO), Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Industry and Trade. Průmysl nezastavujeme. Plošné testování ve firmách bude ale povinné. Tím se stávají součástí řešení covidové krize. Do 12.3. musí mít první testy všichni zaměstnanci firem nad 250 zaměstnanců, do 15.3. pracovníci podniků 50-249. — Karel Havlíček (@KarelHavlicek_) March 1, 2021 The new rules imposed are the strictest to hit the industrial...
The Czech Republic could receive Russian Sputnik V jabs “as soon as possible”, President Miloš Zeman told CNN Prima News, confirming that after consulting with Prime Minister Andrej Babiš he had asked Russian President Vladimir Putin for the COVID-19 vaccines to be delivered. “If I am correctly informed, this request will be met, but of course, we will need certification,” said Zeman, adding that if he were to decide, the State Institute for Drug Control (SÚKL) certification would suffice. While Babiš had been opposed to the Sputnik V vaccine skipping the European Medical Agency (EMA) process for approval – which it has not yet applied for – it appears he has now changed his mind. “We cannot wait for the EMA because Russia did not apply [for approval],” Babiš told CNN Prima News, adding that six EU countries now want the Russian jab. According to Zeman, the Czech State Institute for Drug Control “should not be lazy” and “issue the certification [for Sputnik V] as Hungary did.” While the president and PM are open to the Russian vaccine despite it not having been approved by the EMA, Health Minister Jan Blatný confirmed he will not authorize the Russian vaccine unless...
10,000 posters throughout the country will remind people to be compliant with the measures against the spread of Covid-19. The Ministry of Interior wants to remind people to wear respirators outside and stay at home. Even more so now, since the detection of the new Covid-19 variants and the incessantly growing number of cases. This campaign and initiative were inspired by a similar campaign in the UK. The colored posters will either showcase slogans which say: “Stay home, save lives” or “Wear respirators, save lives”. “It’s never too late to tell people again how easily they can become heroes and save lives. Just stay at home and wear a respirator consistently outside”, commented Interior Minister and Deputy Prime Minister Jan Hamáček. The posters will be dispersed in cities and municipalities all around the Czech Republic. They’ll be printed and put up by Rengl this weekend, with the Ministry paying 1.5 million CZK for the campaign. The very first case of the Covid-19 virus was detected on March 1 2020 in the Czech Republic. Fast forward to now, 1.2 million people have become ill with the virus, and reportedly 20,000 people have died from it. Since the start of February 2021,...
Three German states are sending 15,000 doses of COVID-19 vaccine to the Czech Republic, German regional MDR television reported on Sunday, citing Saxony’s state premier, Michael Kretschmer. The three states are Saxony and Bavaria, which border the Czech Republic, and their neighbor, Thuringia. Prague on Friday tightened restrictions on shops, schools, and movement for the next three weeks in a bid to slow a surge of coronavirus infections. “We must limit people’s mobility as much as possible for three weeks and minimize people-to-people contacts,” said PM Babis. “We will introduce a ban on movement between regions with some exceptions, such as travel to work.” The Czech Republic had the highest per capita infection rate in the world over the past week, according to the Our World in Data website, 10 times that of Germany. France has already pledged to supply 100,000 vaccine doses to the Czech Republic and Israel has sent 5,000 shots. Five thousand doses of the Moderna vaccine that arrived from Israel last week will be administered to soldiers working with Covid patients. The European Commission has sealed deals with several companies for well over 2 billion vaccine shots – far more than the EU population of around...
The aim of the initiative is to make the capital a more modern and environmentally friendly city. In the next two years, The Municipal Society of Technology of the Capital City of Prague (THMP) plans to add several hundred public lighting poles from which electric vehicles can be recharged. This initiative builds on a pilot project for which THMP had collaborated with electricity supplier PREdistribuce in Vinohrady, Prague to create 13 EV charging streetlight points last year. This project has been spread over six years with the hopes of installing around 3,000 to 6,000 streetlight EV charging points in the country. Within two years, THMP aims to add over 400 of these lamp posts in 12 selected regions. According to THMP’s website, the City Hall Councillor Jan Chabr estimates that by 2030, there will be around 500 to 700 thousand electric vehicles in the Czech Republic. Moreover, he explained that at least one-fifth of these vehicles will run on Prague’s streets. The Chairman of the Board of Directors of THMP Tomáš Jílek stated that the installation of the streetlight charging points must “make sense in all respects”. As a result, the THMP has coordinated the selection of the installation sites and localities with...
With new infections soaring due to a highly contagious coronavirus variant and hospitals filling up, the Czech Republic announced a new series of measures “to protect the lives of our citizens.” “We have to do it to prevent a total collapse of our hospitals,” PM Babis said. “If we don’t do it, the whole world will watch Bergamo in the Czech Republic.” The measures, coming into effect on Monday, include limiting people’s movement to only their residential districts, except for essential trips. Pre-schools will close and first- and second-graders will shift to online classes like other students. “If it’s possible, stay at home,” Interior Minister Jan Hamacek said. Hamacek said the measure will be enforced by police and military forces. If people go out for sports or just for a walk, they should not leave their municipality. Further measures include the closure of nursery schools and schools for children with disabilities that until now have remained open. Also, only the stores with essential goods will remain open. Health Minister Blatny said people will have to wear face coverings outdoor in towns and cities all the time and also at work. To help the struggling health system and prevent a collapse,...
Vaccines have been delivered to doctors around Prague since Thursday by a collaborative effort of the Young Practitioners Association, online supermarket delivery company Rohlík.cz, and a dozen of other distribution companies. Rohlík spokeswoman Zdeněka Svoboda Kuhnová confirmed the company’s collaboration with the association. Tomáš Čupr, CEO of Rohlík, stated that “in the first place, it didn’t seem apparent that help was needed to deliver the vaccines. Until, of course, the Young Practitioners Association took it upon themselves to ask for aid. Currently, there are 3600 vaccines for less than 200 general practitioners in Prague.” “We got a response from a lot of companies. We took advantage of Rohlík’s offer because they probably had the most sophisticated distribution system. But it’s not just them, of course. There are several distributors. Everyone does it for free,” adds Mucha from the Young Practitioners Association. Moreover, according to Mucha, nothing inaccessible and special is needed to transport the said vaccines. If the distributor is in possession of a refrigerator or a cooling system that maintains the correct temperature needed for the vaccines, then it’s practically enough. “All drivers also have food licenses, and in fact, Rohlík drivers are normally used to driving some medications,”...
Prime Minister Andrej Babiš will meet with the opposition tomorrow morning and ask for an extension of the state of emergency. “The measures we want to apply cannot be implemented without a state of emergency,” Babiš said. “We must limit people’s mobility as much as possible for three weeks and minimize people-to-people contacts,” he added. “We will introduce a ban on movement between regions with some exceptions, such as travel to work.” The Czech government plans to close schools and kindergartens, as well. “We expect that despite the new measures, there will be an increase in the number of hospitalized next week. We are discussing possible assistance with Germany and Poland,” said the Health Minister Jan Blatny. “Moreover, from March 1, respirators will be mandatory in public transport, and shops. Two surgical masks will not be enough.” From March 1, the Czech state will compensate the costs of four speed tests per employee or self-employed person per month. According to the Minister of Industry and Trade Karel Havlíček (ANO), businesses and companies will be able to buy the tests from certified manufacturers. Havlíček has previously said that the price of one test ranges from 60 to 150 crowns. According to...
France will provide 100,000 doses of the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine to the Czech Republic by mid-March, Czech Prime Minister Andrej Babis told CTK news agency on Thursday. The Czech Republic has been struggling with a resurgent COVID-19 pandemic in the past weeks, ranking among the worst-hit countries in the world in terms of infections and deaths from the global pandemic. “We have been trying for a long time to get some extra doses, in Israel we managed to get them as a donation. France has now promised us 100,000 vaccines by March 15,” confirmed the prime minister. Five thousand doses of the Moderna vaccine that arrived from Israel this week will be administered to soldiers working with Covid patients. The Czech government will likely impose on Thursday tougher restrictions after Prime Minister Andrej Babis warned that hospitals faced “catastrophe” if no action is taken. Over the past week, the Czech Republic has had the highest per capita infection rate in the world and second-highest death rate, according to the Our World in Data website. European Union leaders are gathering Thursday to try to inject new energy into the bloc´s lagging coronavirus vaccination efforts as concern mounts that new variants might spread...
LATEST: The Czech government has not decided on a possible tightening of measures. The meeting will continue on Thursday from 6 pm. From March 1, the Czech state will compensate the costs of four speed tests per employee or self-employed person per month. According to the Minister of Industry and Trade Karel Havlíček (ANO), businesses and companies will be able to buy the tests from certified manufacturers. Havlíček has previously said that the price of one test ranges from 60 to 150 crowns. According to Wednesday’s statement by Prime Minister Andrej Babiš (ANO), the state should contribute 60 crowns per test. Employers will be obliged to report all positively tested workers to hygiene stations. Havlíček assumes that the monthly costs for the Czech state will be around 600 million crowns. He also estimates that testing could affect about 1.88 million people, so around 7.5 million tests could be performed every month. According to health insurance companies, employees should be tested by general practitioners or at collection centers. Od 1.3. kompenzujeme plošné testování ve firmách a rovněž u OSVČ. Každý zaměstnanec nebo živnostník získá příspěvek na čtyři rychlotesty/měsíc. Právě jsme schválili na vládě. — Karel Havlíček (@KarelHavlicek_) February 24, 2021...
Beer, the oldest known recipe in history, is a global obsession, but annual trends in consumption and cost vary from country to country. To find out just how much those costs might vary, Expensivity, an online money and finance resource, conducted comprehensive research to determine the cheapest and most expensive cities around the world to buy a beer in, both from the supermarket and at the bar. Expensivity found that Qatar has the most expensive beer in the world, costing an average of $11.26 per per 33cl (330ml) bottle. This is likely due to their 100 percent tax on alcohol imports ahead of the 2022 World Cup. Beer in China doesn’t look all that cheap either. But keep in mind that the money and finance site averaged the price of a hotel beer ($13.61) and a supermarket beer ($1.81). So it’s clear the steep prices are aimed at visitors. Germany Spends the Most On Beer Haitians just aren’t that into beer. Spirits account for a whopping 97% of booze consumed in Haiti, where people drink fewer than four beers per year on average, with an annual beer bill of $10.02. That’s the lowest beer consumption and spend in our study. At the other end of...
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