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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From Saturday, July 25 at midnight, it will be mandatory to wear face masks at indoor public gatherings with over 100 people, including nightclubs. The Health Minister Adam Vojtěch (ANO) informed Czech Television today afternoon.
“We are not planning to close certain industries or limit the free movement of people, but prevention is needed. The measures taken are based on information from the regional hygienic stations,” said Vojtěch.
“This measure does not concern shops or restaurants, but specifically sports and cultural events,” the minister specified.
A maximum of 500 people seated in five separate sectors, each comprising 100 people, will be allowed at indoor events.
The number of cases is growing, but the risk group over the age of 65 is not affected and there are no more serious cases that require hospitalization. “However, a number of smaller outbreaks show that there may be potential for a community spread,” said the minister.
An outbreak of coronavirus linked to a music club in Prague has recently increased to 98 cases, including footballers from several of the city’s clubs.
PM Babiš stressed that the Czech Republic had managed the first wave of the epidemic very well, but expressed concerns about the daily increase in coronavirus cases.
The number of new cases in the Czech Republic has been growing significantly in recent days. On Tuesday, the country recorded 212 new positive people. On Wednesday, 247.
The number of active coronavirus infections topped 5,000 in the Czech Republic for the first time after labs reported the highest daily rise in nearly a month.
The Czech government will discuss the resumption of the Central Crisis Staff on Monday.
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The Czech government confirmed on Saturday, July 11, that Serbia and Montenegro were added to the list of countries with a high coronavirus risk.
As a result, Czechs need a 14-day quarantine or a COVID-19 test upon returning to their home country.
Serbia
Serbia recorded 18 fatalities and 386 new cases over 24 hours in what Prime Minister Ana Brnabic described as a “dramatic increase”.
A wave of new infections came after a number of sporting events were allowed to go ahead amid minimal social distancing.
These included a tennis tournament organised by multiple grand slam champion Novak Djokovic, who tested positive for coronavirus along with three other participants at his ill-fated Adria Tour.
To date, Serbia has logged 370 coronavirus deaths and almost 18,000 cases.
Montenegro
In the last 24 hours, 58 people out of 468 tested on coronavirus were conformed positive, the country’s Institute for Public Health said on Friday, the FoNet news agency reported.
It added that there were 733 active cases.
Since the beginning of June, ten people died in the coastal republic, while in the last 24 hours, five patients recovered.
Podgorica declared the end of the epidemic on June 2.
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The daily number of new cases in the Czech Republic jumped to 260, the highest since April 8, Ministry Adam Vojtěch confirmed on Sunday morning.
As CT reports, that is nearly triple that of the 93 recorded on Thursday.
Chief public health officer, Jarmila Rážová, said the rise was due to massive screenings in areas where the virus is spreading quickly, including a mine in Silesia Region and a company in the north.
She also said that Czechs “did not behave in a responsible manner” when restrictions were relaxed after the health situation in the country improved. “However, the outbreak is under control and confined to local clusters,” she added.
On the contrary, according to Vojtěch, the situation in Prague is calming down. “The number of cases in Prague is declining over time,” he added.
The number of tests performed on Saturday (1,862) is lower by about half compared to Friday’s (4,300 tests).
The Czech Republic has had 11,306 confirmed cases while 347 people have died, according to Health Ministry figures released on Sunday morning.
There are currently 3270 patients. Most of them have a mild course of the infection, 122 are hospitalized.
The government has gradually removed most restrictions, apart from wearing masks indoors and limits on pub opening hours and large cultural events.
Last Monday, public gatherings of up to 1,000 people are allowed.
The Czech Republic reported 111 new cases of COVID-19 on Monday. This is the highest daily increase since April 21.
The laboratories performed 7349 tests. The ratio of infected COVID-19 compared to the number of people tested rose to 1.51 percent on Monday. It is the highest percentage from the beginning of May.
The rise is partly due to an outbreak reported by state-owned coal miner OKD at its Darkov mine near the eastern town of Karvina, close to the Polish border, Czech Radio reported.
The Ministry of Health published the new data today (Tuesday, May 19) at 9 am.
The Czech Republic had 8,594 confirmed cases of coronavirus infection by Tuesday morning. So far 5,642 people have recovered and 299 people have died.
In the first week after the reopening, IKEA stores in the Czech Republic were visited by 135,650 people. In the year-on-year comparison, IKEA doubled the sales. The store in Prague’s Černý Most between May 11 and 15 saw a 28 percent increase in attendance compared to last year.
Meanwhile, the government eased the regulation which obliges people to wear face masks in public. As of Tuesday, May 19, office workers will not have to wear masks at the workplace if they observe the social distancing requirements.
Czechs no longer need to wear face masks in most public spaces starting on May 25, in the latest easing of restrictions it put in place to curb the new coronavirus outbreak.
But people will soon only need masks on public transport, in shops and in other closed public spaces that also include theaters and cinemas. The government kept in place a recommendation for people to wear them in open-air spaces.
The government is also planning to further ease travel to and from countries deemed safe of risks from the coronavirus from June 8, Health Minister Adam Vojtech said on Monday.
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 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.
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.
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.
The Minister of Health Adam Vojtěch during today’s press conference said that “if the situation continues to develop favorably, the obligatory wearing of face masks will be lifted in mid-June.”
Masks use will be compulsory only in closed spaces, public transport, and shopping malls.
The wearing of face masks during the COVID-19 pandemic has received varying recommendations from different public health agencies and governments. The topic has been a subject of debate, with various public health agencies and governments disagreeing on a protocol for wearing face masks.
As of early May, 88% of the world’s population lives in countries that recommend or mandate the usage of masks in public and 75+ countries have mandated the use of masks.
From March 19th in the entire Czech Republic until further notice, it is mandatory to wear face/surgical masks (or at least scarves or bandannas) fully covering the nose and mouth when going out in public.
The Czech Republic had 7,979 confirmed cases of coronavirus infection by Thursday morning. So far 4,214 people have recovered and 263 people have died.
dir=”ltr”>V případě zachování příznivé epidemiologické situace bychom mohli roušky ve venkovních prostorech odložit od poloviny června. Shodl se na tom náš tým epidemiologů pro řízené uvolňování karantény. Povinnost bude nadále přetrvávat ve vnitřních prostorách, včetně MHD.
— Adam Vojtěch (@adamvojtechano) May 7, 2020
Czech’s economy is set to suffer a strong hit from the COVID-19 outbreak in 2020, as external demand drops and lockdown measures disrupt economic activity.
Real GDP is expected to gradually recover in 2021, although it is unlikely to rebound to 2019 levels. Inflation is expected to decrease amid falling oil prices and demand. In parallel, public finances are forecast to deteriorate significantly, as the government’s measures provide support against the economic impact of the pandemic.
In 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic is expected to lead to a sharp decline in GDP growth of -6,2%.
The Czech Republic implemented lockdown measures early and will likely lift them progressively starting in early May, considering the current evolution of the pandemic. Thus, the output is estimated to shrink by over 9% in the second quarter of 2020.
The economy should then gradually recover from the third quarter onwards, but the impact on sectors such as transport, hospitality, and tourism may last longer. In 2021, GDP is expected to grow by 5%, and recover the loss only partially. The upturn is forecast to be mainly driven by an increase in private consumption and investment.
Unemployment is expected to be impacted as well, reaching around 5%, but its increase should be cushioned by the government’s measures, a previously tight labour market, and a low share of temporary contracts.
Trade is set to be impacted strongly due to the structure of Czechia’s exports. The highly cyclical nature of some sectors (e.g. the automotive sector) will likely cause a drop in the trade balance of goods in 2020, before gradually recovering in 2021.
The government has pledged more than 1 trillion crowns ($40.24 billion) mostly in loan guarantees and direct aid for affected workers and firms. It is planning a record budget deficit of 300 billion crowns in 2020, more than seven times its original plan.
The European Commission called it a “recession of historic proportions” today in its spring forecast, which also warned EU unemployment could climb to 9 percent this year.
Things could get still worse depending on how the pandemic evolves, the Brussels executive said. The financial crisis contracted the eurozone economy by 4.5 percent in 2009 and left around 10 percent of workers without a job.