23.04.2021
Office of the Government
The key to further restriction easing in the Czech Republic, which is now still limited due to the ongoing epidemic of covid-19, will be the incidence of new cases per 100,000 people in seven days. The scenario of a further action was discussed by Andrej Babiš’s Cabinet at an extraordinary meeting on Thursday, 22 April 2021.
The first phase of the lockdown lifting has already begun with the opening of part of retail and services or the partial opening of schools and kindergartens and will continue from Monday, 26 April, when kindergartens and children’s groups will open in the regions with the lowest incidence of new covid-19 cases. In addition to the originally announced Karlovy Vary and Hradec Králové regions, the Plzeň Region will be added, which was approved by the Government today. The same rules regarding the exemption from wearing facemasks and the obligation to get tested will apply to kindergarten children in the Plzeň Region.
The Ministry of Health plans further restriction lifting in the event of favourable development of the epidemic on Monday, 3 May 2021, when body care services and animal care services might open in the one-on-one regime and under strict hygienic conditions. In regions where the incidence of new cases does not exceed 100 cases per 100,000 inhabitants per week, 2nd level pupils of primary schools and lower-level students of multi-year grammar schools and eight-year conservatories could also return to schools in rotary classes, galleries, museums and monuments without group tours might be opened and outdoor amateur sports for children up to 20 people permitted. If the numbers of newly infected people can be reduced below this threshold on a national average, all retail stores closed so far and the remaining range of outdoor markets and marketplaces will be opened under the established rules.
According to the Ministry’s plan, further steps in restriction lifting will be possible in a situation where the epidemic situation remains below 100 cases per 100,000 inhabitants per week. Then all other services could be opened under strict hygienic conditions and practical training will be allowed at all universities under the conditions of testing and respiratory protection.
The next phase of the restriction lifting could then occur when the incidence falls below 75 cases per 100,000 inhabitants per week, which, according to optimistic scenarios, could take place in the second half of May. This restriction lifting should already be more extensive, including outdoor theatres and concerts, castles and chateaux, restaurant gardens, opening a quarter of the capacity of hotels and pensions, outdoor sports for 20 people, limited spectator entry to sports matches or increasing the number of people at weddings and funerals to 30 people indoors with a test and 50 persons outdoors without a test and with respiratory protection.
For example, the Ministry plans to open the interior of restaurants, swimming pools and wellness facilities, cinemas and theatre buildings in the next phase, as soon as the number of new cases falls below 50 people per 100,000 inhabitants per week. This could happen in June or July.
The Government has approved another partial change to the existing anti-epidemic measures; the exceptions to the permitted services are now complemented by acquisition and improvement of professional competence in inland and maritime navigation.
Autor: Office of the Government
