Prymula tightens the measures! What will change in the Czech Republic this time? The first measures applies from midnight today
The situation is alarming
Things are getting rough. The number of infected people is increasing at rocket speed. We broke the record number of 5,000 new infections in a day. There were 4,500 new cases on Tuesday and 5,335 on Wednesday. The press conference following the government session had been originally scheduled for tomorrow, but due to the alarming numbers, the government decided to start acting immediately.
According to the Minister of Health Roman Prymula, the measures have to be tightened because the health care system is burdened and the number of patients requiring hospitalization is increasing. We can't treat only patients with Covid-19. Attention needs to be paid also to other patients with serious diseases.
"We need to prevent contact between people. We tried to set the measures so that the economic impacts are small as possible,"
claimed Prymula after his initial apologies.
"We decided to dramatically reduce leisure activities for 14 days and practically freeze them,"
said the Minister of Health.
What applies from Monday?
From Monday, the measure applies that only up to ten people can gather indoors and up to twenty people outdoors. Theaters, cinemas, galleries, museums or castles and chateaux will be closed and all cultural events will be canceled. The new measures will also affect sport. All league competitions will be canceled. The only exception are interstate matches, which will be held without spectators and in a restricted mode.
What applies from midnight today?
Zoos, fitness centers, tanning studios, game rooms, swimming pools, gyms and other indoor sports grounds will be closed for 14 days from midnight today. Children's clubs and hobby groups will be closed as well. From midnight, the new measures apply also to shopping centers and establishments, which people can newly enter only in groups of two, or to restaurants.
To the restaurant in a group of four
Restaurants in malls will remain open, but only two people will be allowed sit at one table, moreover without the possibility to connect to wifi, so that individuals wouldn't stay there unnecessarily long. Restaurants outside shopping malls will have limited opening hours until 8 pm and only four people will be allowed to sit at one table.
"We will indeed limit gatherings. We also have measures in place in hospitals and social care facilities. We will practically ban visits,"
said Prymula.
After 14 days, the government will evaluate the measures and decide whether or not to extend them.
Changes in education
Kindergartens will remain without restrictions, as will primary schools and after school clubs. Universities are transferring to distance education from Monday. The only exception are medical study programs, where practical training will be allowed to take place. High schools will follow the same regime as colleges.
Is lockdown looming on the horizon?
On Wednesday, Prymula also warned about the possibility of a lockdown, which would shut down Prague and possibly some other cities, or the whole country. It is the last option, which, according to the Minister, nobody wants.
The whole country to be tested
In addition to the newly planned measures, the Minister also presented
a plan to test the entire population of the Czech Republic today. He believes the planned project could start to be implemented in two weeks.
"Testing of virtually the entire population of the Czech Republic would not be based on PCR tests, antigenic tests would be used instead. We will negotiate very intensively with general practitioners, and if the project succeeds, I can imagine that in the timeframe of 14 days or so, it would be possible,"
said Roman Prymula.
Since March 1, when the first cases of coronavirus infection were recorded in the Czech Republic, Covid-19 has been confirmed in a total of 95,360 people. More than half of the infected people have recovered, 43,764 are currently ill. 829 people have already succumbed to the disease.
