The government is easing the measures: Curfew extended beyond 9 pm, stores will have longer opening hours

The Czech Republic will move from the strictest fifth DOG level to the fourth level. This means a risk score from 61 to 75 and brings along an easing of some measures.

The shops will newly be open until 11 pm

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The shops will be allowed to stay open until 11 pm, while currently they have to close at 9 pm. However, they will still have to be closed on Sundays, and the capacity of 15 square meters per customer continues to apply as well. Other significant changes regarding shops have been made: mothers with strollers will not have to have a shopping cart and children under the age of 6 will not be counted in the capacity.

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Get your Christmas decorations at the market

Newly, people will be able to buy Christmas decorations at farmers' markets, which will be allowed to sell them (until now, they could offer only food and reverential goods). In a week, the government will discuss the issue of Christmas markets. The operation of winter resorts will be addressed on Monday.

To the library through the dispensing window

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Another change concerns libraries. From now on, people will be able to borrow books through dispensing windows.

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Going out until 11 pm to be allowed

The curfew will be extended to 11 pm, and people will be able to gather in groups of 6 now. The number of people who can take part in a ceremony will increase to twenty (from the current fifteen).

Back to the classes

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In the fourth level, primary school pupils can return to their classes, and practical teaching at secondary schools can also be resumed. University students can be educated in groups of up to 20 people.

More changes to come in a week at the earliest

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"If we can maintain this score for one week, restaurants will open,"

added Minister of Industry and Trade Karel Havlíček. However, they wouldn't be operating in the regular mode. Retail stores and services would also open, and high school students would begin to take turns in the classes. Up to 50 people could gather at outdoor events and 10 indoors. Indoor sports ground would also open for up to ten people. To a limited extent, some cultural institutions and monuments would also let visitors in.

Up to 30 people could attend weddings and funerals and the curfew would be abolished.

The numbers cannot rise further

However, for further easing of measures, the numbers of infected people per day cannot increase any further.

"Even during the last week, certain regions went up to higher numbers for one or two days, but that doesn't really mean anything,"

said Minister of Health Jan Blatný.