czechia Archives – Page 4 of 25

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.

From 26 May, it will be possible to cross borders and checks will only be random. However, it will still be mandatory to prove a negative test for COVID-19 when entering the country. Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of the Interior Jan Hamáček (CSSD) stated today.

“Today, the government has agreed that the border regime will be relaxed from 26 May: it will be possible to cross it at several border crossings. Checks by health authorities and the police will be less frequent and only random,” said Hamáček.

However, the obligation to submit a negative test for COVID-19 when entering the Czech Republic will continue to apply,“ Hamáček said.

Austria has already abolished border controls, opening all crossings with the Czech Republic, Slovakia and Hungary. Checks for coronavirus are also random.

According to data from the Police of the Czech Republic, between 16 March and 15 May, the Czech police checked 1,552,000 vehicles departing from the Czech Republic and 1,637,000 vehicles arriving in the country.

Police denied the departure of 14,000 people and stopped 24,000 people from entering the Czech Republic.

The European Commission on Wednesday called on EU member states to gradually begin to ease the border restrictions they have adopted due to the spread of the coronavirus. At the same time, it recommended opening borders between states with the favorable development of the coronavirus spread first.

dir=”ltr”>Vláda se dnes shodla, že se od 26. 5. uvolní režim na hranicích: bude je možné překročit na více hraničních přechodech a kontrola bude pouze namátková. Dál však bude platit (až na platné výjimky) povinnost předložit při vstupu do ČR negativní test na covid-19.

— Jan Hamáček (@jhamacek) May 18, 2020

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 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.

“Austria will open all borders with the Czech Republic, Slovakia, and Hungary from midnight on Saturday, May 16,” said today the Austrian Ministry of the Interior.

The full opening of the borders is planned on June 15, the APA agency reported.

At the same time, Austria has struck the same border-opening agreement with Switzerland and Liechtenstein as the one it previously announced with Germany, to fully allow travel from June 15.

“Inspections by health authorities and the police will be less frequent and only random,” the ministry said in a statement.

“Our goal is to try to give as much freedom and as little restriction as possible. This is another small step towards normality, especially for people in border areas,” added the ministry.

——-

On May 12, the Swiss government announced it would reopen 15 border crossings with Austria, France, and Italy, in eight cantons, in its second phase of the partial easing of the COVID-19 temporary restrictions.

The French Minister of Interior has agreed with his German counterpart Interior Minister Horst Seehofer to reopen the common borders by June 15, which restrictions have been put in place in a bid to contain the flow of the COVID-19.

Estonia, Lithuania, and Latvia have decided to open their common borders so their citizens can freely move between the three, as of May 15. The Baltic states have decided to abolish an entry ban for non-essential purposes as they assert that the situation regarding the Coronavirus pandemic and the level of infections is similar in all three, while at the same time abolishing a requirement of two weeks quarantine for travelers.

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.

“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.

Can you catch the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) from food? How should I do laundry now? Mundane household tasks have turned into a source of uncertainty and anxiety as families grapple with getting the basics done all while keeping their loved ones safe and healthy. Widespread misinformation about the virus puts everyone at risk and adds to the stress of having to filter fact from fiction.

While research into the COVID-19 virus is ongoing, we know the virus is transmitted through direct contact with respiratory droplets of an infected person (through coughing and sneezing), and touching surfaces contaminated with the virus. The virus may survive on surfaces for a few hours up to several days.

The Deputy Health Minister, Roman Prymula suggests that “you should store the disinfected food in the fridge for two days before eating it, and when the two days have passed, do everything you can to avoid touching the food packaging,” he added.

Prymula points out that “the most important thing is to avoid contact with the surface of the package so that I don’t really touch something that I then bring into the mouth – like a spoon -, because it can be contaminated,” he explains.

“Previous learnings have suggested that coronavirus may persist in the air, paper, and tissue for up to three hours, on copper for up to four hours, on cardboard up to 24 hours, on cloth for 48 hours and on plastic and stainless steel for up to 72 hours,” says Prymula.

“I would recommend creating a so-called “infectious place”, where I would leave the things outside and not carry them anywhere,” he added.

Food packaging and handling precautions

Remove any unnecessary packaging and dispose into a waste bin with a lid.
Remove food from take-out containers, place on a clean plate, and dispose of the container.
Packaging like cans can be wiped clean with a disinfectant before being opened or stored.
Wash unpackaged produce, such as fruit and vegetables, thoroughly under running water.
Wash your hands with soap and water, or use an alcohol-based hand rub, immediately afterward.

The film commission in the Czech Republic announced Thursday that film and TV shoots can resume production immediately in Prague now that the government has lifted restrictions and provided safety guidelines to prevent the spread of the coronavirus.

“Three-quarters of audiovisual productions in the Czech Republic stopped in March. In full compliance with the Ministry of Health, filmmakers are no longer affected by measures restricting cultural and sporting events and large gatherings. We, therefore, consider audiovisual production to be resumed,” Helena Bezděk Fraňková, director of the Czech Film Fund, said in a statement.

The Czech Republic was the first country in Europe to develop self-regulatory guidelines as protection against the spread of COVID-19 during filming.

“Adherence to these recommendations, including testing actors every 14 days during production and, of course, maintaining sanitation standards on location and in studios, will reduce the possibility of infection to an absolute minimum,” Czech film commissioner Pavlina Žipková said.

Shows such as Marvel’s “The Falcon and the Winter Soldier” were shooting in the country before production was shuttered there. And Amazon also had productions prepped for the latest season of “Carnival Row” with Orlando Bloom and Cara Delevingne and the first season of “Wheel of Time” starring Rosamund Pike. Other productions include the Netflix film “473 Transatlantic.”

Among the guidelines that the film commission laid out for individual shoots included access to testing, use of a sanitary base camp, eating lunch in shifts (more commonly known as “French hours”), taking temperatures of people on set, and providing protective gear and sanitizing equipment.

Foreign actors and crew members must have undergone a COVID-19 test at the time they leave their home countries and will undergo a second test within 72 hours of arrival in the Czech Republic, and remain quarantined until they receive a negative result. In this way, they can avoid undergoing a 14-day quarantine upon arrival.

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

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