coronavirus czech republic Archives – Page 2 of 8

A government expert who wishes to remain anonymous sparked the Czech government to take fast action against the coronavirus in a move that likely saved thousands of lives, said Czech Interior Minister Jan Hamáček while discussing the government’s response to the crisis in its early stages.

“The moment I realized that a train was coming at us from the opposite direction was when I saw a mathematical model that, based on the development in Italy and Spain, showed how the number of infected people in our country will rise and when there will be a collapse of the health care system. When the author of the model presented it at the Ministry of the Interior, there was complete silence. We realized that in a matter of weeks, huge trouble will hit us, and I said that the prime minister must see the model,” said Hamáček.

According to the interior minister, the expert in question does not wish to reveal his name as he does not want to be famous.

The Czech Republic was one of the first countries to initiate lockdown measures and close its borders to hard-hit countries like Italy in moves that may account for the country’s comparatively low death and infection rate.

“We’re still working with his team. He has done a huge amount of work for this country. If he agrees, I will thank him publicly, but at this moment, I don’t have his consent,” added Hamáček, who together with this expert, presented the mathematical model to the National Security Council.

At the time, some members of the government, including Prime Minister Andrej Babiš, were hesitant to believe the numbers in the model predicting a catastrophic scenario.

“I kept the numbers on my mobile phone, and every day, I checked the numbers of confirmed cases and it fit the model almost exactly. The prime minister did the same, and when it turned out on the fifth or sixth day that it followed an exponential growth, he understood that we’re in trouble,” said Hamáček, according to whom Babiš reacted “imperatively and quickly.”

Hamáček also said that he was aware that in order to provide medical supplies as quickly as possible, he often had to act regardless of common rules, but he hoped that people would be lenient in judging his actions.

“I admit that I don’t remember much from the period between March 14 and the arrival of the first plane with the supplies. All my co-workers said that I was in a strange state of mind, being on the phone the whole time. It was an unimaginably strenuous period,” Hamáček admitted.

The Czech Republic reported 49 new confirmed cases of coronavirus infection on Saturday, keeping the number of newly registered COVID-19 cases under 100 over the past 15 days.

According to figures from the Minister of Health, the total number of COVID-19 now in the country has reached 8,455, and the death toll stands at 296.

At the moment, 183 people are hospitalized with COVID 19, 39 of them are in serious condition.

Nevertheless, laboratories performed fewer tests compared to working days, and COVID-19 was found in 1.16% of respondents.

More than three-fifths of patients have recovered and at the same time, the number of people in hospitals continues to decline. There are currently 175 people in hospitals, 39 in critical condition.

According to the latest data, the Czech Republic registered 1959 people infected with coronavirus, with almost 150 infected per 100 thousand people. Prague is followed by Karlovy Vary Region with 147 infected per 100 thousand inhabitants.

On the contrary, the lowest incidence rate was recorded in South Bohemia, with 28 people infected per 100 thousand inhabitants.

The Czech government could buy up to 100% of airline operator Smartwings, the owner of Czech Airlines, or offer the national flag carrier state-guaranteed loans, Industry Minister Karel Havlicek said on Saturday.

The government would discuss the situation with Smartwings and a decision should be reached by the end of June. He said the group was of strategic interest.

Smartwings said it welcomed any discussions. “We still believe that further debate about support for the company, which employs 2,500 people, will play out in a businesslike manner,” the group said in a statement.

Havlicek said any government move would be an investment, adding the group could be sold later, possibly for a profit.

“We are not saying that it will happen but I look out for the interests of transport and industry. In this view, I think it is necessary to protect this type of firm, not only this type but others also,” he said.

The government has previously raised the possibility of guaranteeing loans for the group.

Smartwings’ Czech Airlines is set to resume flights on Monday after a disruption lasting a month and a half.

Smartwings is controlled by Czech businessman Jiri Simane and partners, who own 50.1% of the group. Chinese state-owned CITIC holds 49.9%. CITIC could not be immediately reached for comment.

The airline group handled 8.2 million passengers in 2019 and is the biggest operator out of Prague Airport.

Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte will open Italy’s national borders and allow citizens to move freely within the country starting June 3, a key step in his effort to revive the economy after more than two months of lockdown.

Although Italy never formally closed its borders and has allowed people to cross back and forth for work or health reasons, it banned movement for tourism and imposed a two-week isolation period for new arrivals.

But from 3 June, all visitors will be allowed back into the country and will no longer be obliged to self-isolate.

Italians will also be able to move between regions, though local authorities can limit travel in specific areas if infection numbers spike.

Italy’s restaurants, bars, and hairdressers are being allowed to re-open on Monday, two weeks earlier than initially planned.

Shops will also open and Italians will finally be able to see friends, as long as they live within their same region.

The current curbs will stay in place until after Italy’s Republic Day holiday on June 2 to prevent mass travel over the holiday weekend.

Questions remain over quarantine

It was not immediately clear from the government’s decree whether the measures were limited to European Union residents, but Italian media reported earlier on Friday that the decree would apply to people within the EU and Europe’s visa-free Schengen area.

Government sources told the daily La Repubblica and news agency Adnkronos that it will not be mandatory for travelers to self-quarantine upon entering Italy after June 3.

The government’s statement, however, did not mention what health and safety measures would be expected of travelers.

Conte’s announcement came hours after Italy registered its daily virus-linked death fell to 242 on Friday from 262 a day earlier and the number of confirmed new cases was the lowest in four days.

This morning, the first bus to Dresden and Berlin left Prague with 13 people aboard, mostly foreigners. It is the first renewed connection after the travel ban due to the coronavirus pandemic.

The ban on international bus and rail connections has been in force in the Czech Republic since March 14. Earlier last week, the government decided to re-authorize international traffic from May 11.

The first RegioJet bus left Prague to Berlin today at 8.30 am, with a stop in Dresden.

RegioJet plans to return the bus to Prague already today and should leave Berlin in the late afternoon. So far, 20 passengcers have booked the trip. RegioJet plans to renew another bus line from Brno to Vienna. It should start on Monday.

Other bus transport providers have not yet specified when they intend to reopen their foreign transport services, with the lifting of restrictions abroad playing a key role in the decision.

Leo Express is also ready to renew its routes to Poland and Slovakia if passengers are interested. At the moment, they regularly run only selected train connections on the routes Prague – Stare Mesto – Prague and Bohumin – Prague – Bohumin until 31 May 2020 inclusive.

As of Monday, April 27, the rules for crossing state borders have been changed. EU citizens arriving in the Czech Republic for business purposes and university students from EU countries may now come to the Czech Republic.

Czech citizens are able to travel abroad, however, on their return they must submit to 14 days’ quarantine or provide a test with a negative Covid-19 result.

The border between the Czech Republic and Slovakia could be the first to reopen during the coronavirus crisis in what could end up looking a lot like former Czechoslovakia, said Slovak Prime Minister Igor Matovič.

“About three weeks ago, I approached the Czech Prime Minister Andrej Babiš about this issue, and as the situation has currently improved, we could be the first to open the borders,” said the Slovak prime minister in an interview with the pluska.sk.

Matovič also referred to the “possibility of creating something like Czechoslovakia again so that the first borders that fall within Central Europe are between Slovakia and the Czech Republic.”

At the same time, the Slovak prime minister admitted that he would like this to happen as soon as possible, but currently, there is a technical problem.

“Czechs have a rule that if someone enters their territory and spends less than 24 hours there, they do not have to get tested. What might happen is that if someone wants to get to Slovakia, the individual could go through the Czech Republic and thus avoid quarantine and testing. That could cause disaster in Slovakia very quickly,” said Matovič.

The Slovak prime minister explained that Slovaks living in, for example, Sheffield, England, could start traveling to Slovakia via the Czech Republic without being checked.

Indeed, a group of Slovak Romas living in the United Kingdom returned to the country some time ago. As they did not comply with the quarantine rules, COVID-19 has started to spread in five Roma settlements in eastern Slovakia, leading the authorities to lock down these areas.

Martin Klus, the deputy Slovak minister of foreign affairs, has previously confirmed that negotiations about easing the situation on the borders are underway between Czechia, Slovakia, and Austria.

“We can create a mini-Schengen area,” said Klus, predicting that the plan could take place as soon as this summer. A crucial prerequisite will be a positive development in the epidemiological situation in the three countries.

Professional football clubs in the Czech Republic on Tuesday approved a proposal to restart the top two divisions this month after they were suspended by the coronavirus pandemic.

The leagues had already agreed a plan for resuming play, but the clubs had to give it the green light because the competitions are now set to run until July.

Some sponsorship deals and player contracts expire by the end of June when the leagues were originally scheduled to conclude.

Six rounds of games in the regular season and the playoffs remain in the first division, which is now scheduled to be completed by July 15.

Matches will be played without spectators based on the guidelines of public health officials.

The first competition will be the 23rd round of Czech First League which will take place between Teplice and Liberec on May 23, according to local media reports.

The Second League will start in the week after May 25 and can expect playoffs during July, the league association said.

The decision to restart is in line with UEFA’s recommendation for leagues to “explore all possible options” to complete their seasons.

The restart was made possible as the government has been easing its restrictive measures adopted to contain the outbreak.

Reigning champions Slavia Prague are eight points clear of second-placed Viktoria Plzen in the First League.

Listen to the bells today at noon.

Churches around the Czech Republic will join in unison in ringing their bells today at 12 noon, in a gesture of solidarity and to thank all the health workers.

In the past, similar celebrations happened after the death of President Václav Havel or Pope John Paul II, in honor of Czech soldiers killed in foreign missions, and in solidarity with the burned-out Notre-Dame Cathedral.

On March 25, the song Není Nutno has been broadcasted on CT1, Český rozhlasand on municipal and local radio stations.

The intention was to give courage and strength and also to express support to all people in the front line fighting against the coronavirus pandemic: doctors, nurses, pharmacists, drivers, firemen, and others.

According to the Institute of Health Information and Statistics, there are approximately 80,000 nurses in the Czech Republic.

From the beginning of the pandemic until the end of April, 343 nurses and 167 doctors, including dentists, got infected with coronavirus.

Less than 250 people are now hospitalized. 42 are in critical condition. The highest number of patients hospitalized has been registered on April 9.

The Czech Republic had 8,177 confirmed cases of coronavirus infection by Monday afternoon. So far 4,738 people have recovered and 283 people have died.

From May 25, people will be able to go outside without a face mask.

The government approved the new measure today. It will be necessary to keep a safe distance of two meters.

Families and people in shared households will not need to wear masks. If they meet other people in public, they will need to keep a distance of two meters.

Wearing masks will be still mandatory in supermarkets, pharmacies, public transport, shops, taxis, and public institutions.

From tomorrow, May 12th, according to Vojtěch, some medical professionals will not need to wear facemasks, including speech therapists and examining committees at university entrance exams, as long as they keep a safe distance of at least 1.5 meters and a maximum of 15 people in the room.

The number of new coronavirus cases in the Czech Republic has remained under 100 over the past ten days. There were 28 more cases on Sunday.

The Czech Republic had 8,136 confirmed cases of coronavirus infection by Monday afternoon. So far 4,442 people have recovered and 280 people have died.

The number of patients who are actually in hospitals is also gradually decreasing. On Monday morning, 233 people were hospitalized, 42 in critical condition.

In the Czech Republic, 250 children out of more than 8,000 patients have been infected since the beginning of the coronavirus epidemic, according to Deputy Minister of Health Roman Prymula.

He, therefore, considers the risk of spreading the virus after the opening of schools, to be minimal. “Moreover, we made attendance voluntary,” he added.

Wearing face masks became mandatory in the entire Czech Republic on March 19th.

From Monday, May 11, Prague’s Public Transport will strengthen bus connections limited from March due to the coronavirus epidemic.

Buses will run according to the so-called half-holiday timetables, which are common in January and February. The DPP is now strengthening its operations “following the relaxation of emergency measures related to the COVID-19 pandemic and the gradual increase in the number of passengers,” stated DPP on their website.

Furthermore, buses will no longer stop automatically at all stops, so passengers need to press the button.

However, boarding restrictions on trams and buses do not change. It will be possible to get on only through the middle and rear doors.

The cable car to Petřín will reopen on 11 May, but with some restrictions. It will carry a maximum of 30 passengers in one cabin and will not stop at Nebozízek.

Passengers need to wear face masks and keep a safe distance of two meters while waiting.

From May 25, DPP expects to return to its original timetables on suburban bus lines. On June 1, seasonal trains from Prague to Central Bohemia should also restart.

According to Prague’s Public Transport, the renewal of trains and buses to Central Bohemia Region must be approved by the Central Bohemian Crisis Staff.

dir=”ltr”>AUTOBUSY PODLE POLOPRÁZDNINOVÝCH JÍZDNÍCH ŘÁDŮ A NÁVRAT ZASTÁVEK NA ZNAMENÍ I Od 11. 5. pojedou autobusy na městských linkách v Praze opět podle tzv. poloprázdninových jízdních řádů. Zastávky na znamení u autobusů i tramvají vracíme do běžného režimu.
https://t.co/qauWnsxXDL pic.twitter.com/bFuHuSaH73

— Dopravní podnik hl. m. Prahy, akciová společnost (@DPPOficialni) May 10, 2020

The state of emergency in the Czech Republic is likely to end on May 17, as the government will not request its further extension, said PM Andrej Babiš in an interview with Prima Television on Sunday.

On Monday, the government will discuss further changes in the wearing of face masks. According to the Minister of the Interior, Jan Hamáček, they could be obligatory only in closed public spaces, such as shops, offices, or public transport.

“It’s important to understand that the virus will still be here and we can tighten the measures again,” stated Hamáček.

According to the Prime Minister, the Czech Republic has managed to prevent the uncontrolled spread of the COVID-19 disease. “We were the first country to suspend flights to Italy and other countries and introduce the mandatory wearing of face masks. Moreover, we are the second country that is relaxing emergency measures,” Babiš pointed out.

According to Hamáček and Babiš, face masks could be mandatory only indoors: “It is necessary to discuss how to proceed with the face masks. They could be mandatory indoors, ie in shops, cinemas, and public transport. Outdoor, the government will only recommend continuing wearing them,” Hamáček added.

From Monday, May 11, all beauty services will be able to reopen, customers in restaurants will have to sit at least 1.5 meters from other tables, but they won’t have to wear facemasks while eating and drinking.

Cinemas and theaters can reopen on May 11 as well. Audiences attending movie screenings and theater performances will be limited to 100 people.

The Czech Republic had 8,095 confirmed cases of coronavirus infection by Sunday morning. So far 4,448 people have recovered and 276 people have died.

“If it is forbidden to occupy a middle seat due to safety measures on aircraft, the economy class will practically end. It would be ideal to fly on a prepaid flat rate. Domestic flying also has great potential,” says during an interview with E15.cz Oliver Dlouhý, founder and co-owner of Kiwi.com.

“Flights could be cheaper after lockdown due to an “airline price war”, he added. “Airlines will ’price-dump’ low fares so that they have a turnover and pay aircraft leasing. But it has to gradually return to normality, to the golden times of flying,” believes added Dlouhý.

After the gradual release, the main challenge will be how tourists regain confidence in air safety. According to a survey from the USA, 75 percent of people would now be afraid to board a plane.

The low-cost carrier Ryanair backs the introduction of mandatory temperature checks and face masks for passengers and crew when flights resume.

“We’re in dialogue with regulators who are sitting in their bedrooms inventing restrictions such as taking out the middle seats, which is just nonsense. It would have no beneficial effect whatsoever,” says Ryanair CEO Michael O’Leary.

He explained: “When this thing is over there is going to be such massive discounting going on that there will be a large spike upward in travel and tourism for a period of time.”

“It’s tricky to understand how many airlines will be able to operate profitably. It will be a much smaller industry,” said Brian Pearce, Iata’s chief economist, talking about the onboard social distancing proposals.

His team argues that social distancing through vacant middle seats is no guarantee against the spread of coronavirus on planes. Instead, Iata supports the wearing of face masks by passengers for safer flying.

Airlines will only be able to increase airfares once passenger numbers recover, but this will only be by 2021 at the earliest, estimates Iata.

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