“A private celebration in a restaurant is still not possible, but a home party with up to ten people wearing face masks could take place from next week,” says at a press conference on Friday the new Minister of Health Petr Arenberger (ANO).
“If, for example, you host a party at home, you have a big apartment and you invite ten people, you should wear face masks,” said Arenberger.
When asked about celebrations in restaurants, he replied that “restaurants are closed and it would be necessary to wait until the epidemic situation develops in a more favorable way.”
The Interdisciplinary Group for Epidemic Situations, led by epidemiologist Petr Smejkal, warns of the risk of organizing at-home parties.
“I don’t understand why private parties, celebrations, and similar events should be given higher priority than schools, small businesses, and services,” said Jan Kulveit, Czech senior research scholar at the Future of Humanity Institute, a multidisciplinary research institute at the University of Oxford, in England.
However, Arenberger called for people to continue to try to meet as little as possible. “The fact that the state of emergency will cease to apply on Monday does not mean that the virus has also disappeared.”
The new minister has paid close attention to explaining the rules that will apply in sport from next week. “Up to 20 athletes can gather outside, but without the use of indoor facilities, such as showers or changing rooms. The indoor spaces are then reserved only for professional athletes.”
The Czech government will end the ongoing state of emergency and several other COVID-19 related measures on April 11.
Nonessential movement between districts will be permitted, and a daily 21:00-05:00 curfew will be lifted. Many nonessential retail stores will also reopen in accordance with strict hygiene and social-distancing protocols. The following measures remain in place:
- Protective face coverings are mandatory in all indoor public areas, on public transportation, and outdoors when social distancing of 2 meters (6 feet) between people cannot be observed.
- Employees are advised to work from home wherever possible.
