In the Czech Republic, a night curfew will come into force on Wednesday due to the covid-19 epidemic. In the Monday’s meeting, the government decided that people must stay at home between 21:00 and 04:59, health minister Roman Prymula (for YES) told reporters after the meeting.
Exceptions apply, inter alia, to trips to work, occupation, urgent trips to protect life, health and property, but also to dogs walking within 500 meters of the place of residence.
The measures are still in force until the end of the state of emergency on 3 November. However, the cabinet will probably ask the Chamber of Deputies to extend the state of emergency on Tuesday. At the time of the night curfew, people will have to prove why they left home, Prymula said. Evidence that they have an exception can also be submitted retrospectively.
The cabinet last tightened restrictions on movement in the Czech Republic last Wednesday. Since Thursday, the government has limited contacts to meeting a maximum of two people, unless they are from the same household. When asked whether the government was considering a tougher option of restricting movement and activities (the so-called lockdown) following the example of Israel, the Minister of the Interior Jan Hamáček replied on Monday after the government meeting on Twitter that there is no majority vote for him in the government.
Retail sales in establishments will be prohibited on Sundays all day, on other days from 20:00 to 05:00 in the morning. This does not apply to petrol stations, pharmacies or shops in places of increased passenger concentration, such as airports, railway stations or bus stations. This was stated by Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Industry Karel Havlíček at a press conference after today’s government meeting. At the same time, the time limit does not apply to shops in medical facilities and to restaurants that will be able to prepare meals and it will be possible to pick them up, he added.
The government originally limited the retail sale and sale of services in the premises from Thursday, October 22, to November 3, when the state of emergency is currently in force. However, according to some ministers, the cabinet will probably ask the Chamber of Deputies to extend it, which will be discussed on Tuesday.
The government has banned sales on markets other than the sale of food at farmers’ markets. Sales from mobile shops are also allowed. At the same time, however, consumption is prohibited in the markets, the stalls should be at least two meters apart and the maximum number of people should be 20 people per 400 square meters. Minister of Industry and Trade Karel Havlíček informed about it at a press conference after the government meeting.
In public and private companies, work from home should be ordered if possible. This was stated by the Minister of Health Roman Prymula at a press conference after the extraordinary meeting of the government today.
In the Czech Republic, employees do not have a legal right to work from home, and the employer cannot even order it unilaterally. The employee and the employer must enter into a written agreement or this option in the employment contract.