- Last update: 05.05.2021
State of emergency
Currently until April 11, 2021
From midnight on April 11, the state of emergency came to an end. However, some restrictions still remain.
Emergency measures
Free movement
Meetings and leisure activities: A maximum of two people can meet outdoors and indoors. There is a limit of 15 people for weddings or funerals. The government has limited the right to assemble, on which public demonstrations are based, for 100 people.
Night curfew: As the state of emergency ends, the night curfew between 21:00 and 5:00 is lifted.
Consumption of alcohol in publicly available places is no longer banned.
Restrictions on movement between districts: It is not necessary to have any documents to leave the district. The ban on movement between districts was lifted as the state of emergency ended.
Face masks and respirators
It is mandatory to wear a respirator (or technically equally effective device) everywhere indoors. You have to wear a respirator in shops, businesses, public transport, motor vehicles (unless you are a member of the same household), medical facilities, international airports and on the platforms.
In addition to the respirator, it is possible to wear a surgical face mask outdoors, specifically in built-up areas of the village. Outside built-up areas, if two people are less than two meters apart, a face mask is also mandatory.
Respiratory protection is mandatory in the workplace, except for people alone in the room. Employers who require their employees to remain in the workplace should supply themselves with respirators and are obliged to provide them to their employees.
Exceptions to wearing face masks and respirators: You do not have to wear a face mask at home or in other areas of the accommodation (hotels on business trips). Indoors or outdoors, face masks do not need to be worn by children under the age of 2 (including), people with intellectual disabilities and severe mental disorders, or professional athletes during training. Face masks do not have to be worn even in the countryside outside the city, as long as the distance of at least 2 meters is observed. Children under 15 can wear a surgical face mask instead of a respirator. Persons from the same household are also excluded from the obligation to wear a face mask.
Cloth face masks, homemade masks or scarves are no longer considered sufficient.
Conditions and testing in companies
Face masks and respirators: Even in the workplace, you must wear either a respirator (FFP2, KN95) or a surgical face mask. Employers are obliged to equip their employees with protective equipment. There are a few exceptions to wearing respiratory protection that considers the type of employment – for example, public transport drivers or moderators do not have to wear them. The face mask can be removed only if the person is alone in the room (i.e. in a separate office).
Home office: If possible, you should continue to work from home.
Meals: Company meals are allowed. There can be a maximum of one person at one table or several people at a long table (however, they must be at least two meters apart, or there must be a mechanical barrier between the diners preventing the spread of droplets – for example, plexiglass). The operator of the catering facility must not allow more people in the indoor dining areas than is the number of seats.
Testing: From the beginning of March, the employees’ obligatory testing has been progressing gradually from the largest companies to the smallest ones. Now, it involves all companies, including those with less than ten employees, NGOs, OSVČ (self-employed persons), people working on a contract basis, or public institutions – e.g. municipalities, public universities, security forces and the army, among others. For the self-employed, testing only applies to those who meet other people at work.
There are several ways for the companies to test their employees – either with the help of an occupational physician, contracted paramedics or a self-test, with which the test can be performed by a non-paramedic or an employee himself. Antigen testing performed by a healthcare professional is paid for by the state. The government will contribute CZK 60 four times a month to testing for one employee.
The government has agreed to mandatory testing by the end of June.
Shops, services and culture
Open shops: Grocery stores, drugstores, pharmacies, opticians, florists, newsagents, petrol stations, taxi services, car washes (unattended), funeral services, telephone and computer services, dispensaries from e-shops, feed stores, garden and household goods stores, stationery, shops with children’s shoes and clothes, shops of reverent goods and shops selling spare parts for cars and machines. The operation of farmers’ markets is restored, too. All shops can be open from 6 am to 10 pm.
However, the government has already confirmed the fixed date of reopening of all shops – on Monday, May 10.
Open services: Laundries, dry cleaning, home appliance repair, locksmithing, establishments for arranging geological works or various small establishments for repairs and maintenance of household machinery and equipment are also open. They can also be open from 6 am to 10 pm.
From Monday, May 3, services related to body care and dog salons reopened. A negative test is required for entry: either from a certified sampling point or from a job. For children who are tested at school and do not have a certificate, parents can submit a solemn declaration.
Museums and galleries: Open from May 3, however, only in the regions of Prague, Hradec Králové, Pardubice, Karlovy Vary, Plzeň, Liberec and Central Bohemia region.
Zoos and botanical gardens: Can have open outdoor spaces for 20 per cent of their capacity.
Libraries can be open, but only one person per 15 square meters can be present. Theatres, cinemas, concert halls and monuments are still closed.
Restaurants and hotels
Restaurants, pubs, bars and cafés are closed and can only operate through the takeaway windows. The operation of takeaway windows and hotel restaurants (for guests only) will be extended by one hour, until 22:00.
Pubs and restaurants will continue to sell through the takeaway window – according to the government, the restaurants will not open until May 17, not even the outdoor front gardens.
Hotels and guesthouses can only accommodate guests on business trips. The purpose of the business trip must be proven by a written confirmation from the employer.
Schools
As of April 12, some types of schools reopened – pupils in first stage of primary schools (first to fifth grade) come back to school in a rotating system; preschoolers return to kindergartens; and small classes, schools for up to 75 children and special schools also open. Outdoor schools are prohibited.
From April 26, practical teaching can take place at second stage of primary schools (sixth to ninth grade) and in the final years of universities.
From May 3, the pupils of the second stage of primary schools also returned to the schools on a rotating basis in some regions. In these areas, kindergartens also operate on a regular basis.
Situation in Prague: opened kindergartens, teaching resumed for first and second stage of primary schools (first to ninth grade) in a rotating system; practical high school teaching allowed
Testing: Starting Monday, April 12, mandatory testing applies to both school staff and children. Second stage of primary schools pupils (sixth to ninth grade) must undergo non-invasive antigen testing twice a week. First stage pupils (first to fifth grade) and school staff need to be tested only once a week. Fully vaccinated people and those who have had COVID-19 in the previous 90 days do not have to be tested. An exception for testing applies to children in kindergartens in regions where kindergartens work without restrictions (including Prague).
Exceptions for practical internships: Medical students can attend full-time internships (praxe) at secondary schools, colleges and universities.
Individual consultations: Remaining permitted.
Accommodation: Students can stay and live in dormitories.
Meals: Canteen (jídelna) operation is allowed. Pupils and school staff who take part in full-time education can eat in them, the rest of the students and staff can pick up lunches through the takeaway window.
Driving schools: Final exams in driving schools are allowed.
Sport
Professional sports: Professional sports activities are allowed, however, athletes and implementation teams must be regularly tested. Competitions take place without spectators.
Sports venues: The operation of all indoor sports venues (gyms, fitness centres, etc., including swimming pools and artificial swimming pools) is banned. Wellness can only operate to provide health services.
Amateur sports: In the outdoor sports areas, one person must have at least 15 square meters of space. It is then possible to define more playing fields with twelve-member groups on one sports ground. All team sports competitions are suspended.
Individual sports: Due to the limitations of meeting people, only a maximum of two people can train outdoors at the same time.
It is possible to exercise and play sports outdoors without a face mask, keeping the two meters distance.
Social and medical facilities
Hospital visits: Visits to medical facilities are still strictly prohibited. The exception is made for vaccinated people, who can visit social facilities without a test. Further exceptions include visits to minors, patients with limited disabilities and patients in hospices and other patients with end-stage incurable disease. The visitors must have a respirator on at all times (children under 15 may have a surgical face mask).
Childbirth: It is possible for a partner to be a part of childbirth, however, several conditions must be met. As a support person, you have to be a parent or a person living with the mother in the same household. At the same time, you cannot have a fever, show any signs of COVID-19 and you must wear a surgical face mask.
Visiting an aftercare or long-term care facility: It is possible if the visitor is tested before arrival. You can do so either directly in the device (an antigen test), or by providing a negative PCR test result not older than 48 hours. Another option is to prove that you have already experienced COVID-19 in the last 90 days. A respirator must be worn throughout the whole visit (children under 15 may have a surgical face mask).
Visits to social facilities: The same conditions apply as for visits to aftercare and long-term care facilities.
Visits to prisons: Visits are allowed under certain conditions.
Non-acute care: Medical facilities had to suspend the provision of non-acute and preventive (planned) care. For specific cases, contact the hospital or polyclinic where the procedure was to take place.
Provision of social services: Social services provided based on a contract between the facility and the client do not have to be provided to the full extent during the emergency (under the contract). The facility must inform the client about the temporary restriction. However, services to protect life and health must always be provided. When providing field services, all participants must wear a respirator or surgical face mask.
Walks: Seniors who go for a walk outside the social facility have so far had to undergo the quarantine and two PCR tests after their return. An exception is now given to seniors who already have 14 days after the end of the vaccination cycle, ie after the second dose of the vaccine. They must also not show signs of disease.
Authorities and other institutions
Office hours: Public institutions should operate normally and without restrictions.
Personal contact: Authorities prefer written, electronic or telephone contact to personal contact to reduce the risk of infection. However, the possibility of personal contact is maintained. It is mandatory to wear a respirator indoors.
Expired documents: The technical inspection of a vehicle (technická kontrola vozidla) is automatically extended for 10 months from the end of its original validity throughout the European Union. The measure concerns documents that expired between September 1, 2020, and June 30, 2021. The same regulation with the same deadlines applies to driving licenses.
This measure does not apply to identity cards and passports. Even in times of emergency, it is necessary to request the issuance of new documents.
Prague City Hall: At the Prague City Hall, strict hygiene measures still apply, including limited access to its buildings. The official office hours are on Monday and Wednesday, always from 8:00 to 18:00.
Register of drivers and register of vehicles: Office hours at these offices are extended to Monday and Wednesday from 8:00 to 18:00, Tuesday and Thursday from 8:00 to 15:00 and Friday from 8:00 to 11:00 (Friday office hours are valid only for the Vyšehrad and Bohdalec offices).
Agendas of the City of Prague Services Department: Some counters at the Škoda Palace, such as CzechPOINT, verification, department of registries and citizenship, and registration of taxi vehicles, are open whole week – on Mondays and Wednesdays from 8.00 to 18.00, on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 8:00 to 15:00, and on Friday from 8.00 to 11:00.
We recommend that you continue to use online reservations to visit these workplaces. At the same time, we would like to ask you to still use, if possible, remote means of communication with the City Hall, such as e-mail, telephone, or data box.
The government has prepared a new restriction relaxations plan, presenting six packages, according to which it will gradually release the ongoing anti-coronavirus measures. Whether the restrictions will be loosened will depend on the current epidemiological situation. The key factor will be the number of infected persons per 100,000 inhabitants in the last seven days. The cabinet will always discuss the further relaxation of restrictions on Monday and will definitely decide on final approval on Thursday.
From April 12, 2021, the next phase on April 26
- Stationeries and shops selling clothing and footwear for children (already done)
- Zoological and botanical gardens – in restricted regime (already done)
- Outdoor farmer’s markets – food only (already done)
- Outdoor areas of museums and exhibitions
Schools
- Teaching at the first stage of primary schools (first to fifth grade) in a rotating system (already done)
- Teaching preschool children in kindergartens (already done)
- Practical teaching at secondary schools
- Practical teaching at universities (only the last years)
- Kindergartens + children’s groups + forest nurseries and similar facilities
- Organized amateur sport for children and youth – outdoors in pairs, a total of max. 12 people (six pairs) at the sports field with an area of min. 15 m2 per person
From May 3, 2021 (if there are no signs of worsening by April 26)
- Body care services in 1: 1 regime (with mandatory negative test and proper respiratory protection, excluding services that in any way pierce the skin)
- Animal care establishments
- All shops (under strict hygienic conditions)
- Outdoor markets – all products (under strict hygienic conditions)
- Spas – for health care self-payers (only for those recovered from COVID-19, no short stays, restrictions on foreign guests)
- Galleries, museums and monuments (without group tours)
- Teaching at the second stage of primary schools (sicth to ninth grade) in a rotating system
- Organized amateur sports for children and youth – a total of max. 20 people
According to the epidemiological situation – if <100/100 000 per 7 days
- Other services (with proper respiratory protection)
- Weddings and funerals (increasing the number of participants outside to 30 people)
- Practical teaching at universities for all students (with a test and proper respiratory protection)
According to the epidemiological situation – if <75/100 000 per 7 days
- Theatres and outdoor concerts (under strict hygienic conditions)
- Castles and chateaus (under strict hygienic conditions)
- Outdoor restaurant gardens (under strict hygienic conditions)
- Hotels and boarding houses (max. 25% capacity with a test, under strict hygienic conditions, excluding night events)
- Outdoor sports in groups of up to 20 people (excluding indoor spaces)
- Indoor sports in 1:1 regime (with a test)
- Sports with spectators (with restrictions, under strict hygienic conditions)
- Weddings and funerals (max. 30 people inside and 50 people outside)
According to the epidemiological situation – if <50/100 000 per 7 days
- Pools, saunas, wellness (with a test and under strict hygienic conditions)
- Theatres and concerts inside with restrictions (under strict hygienic conditions)
- Cinemas with restrictions (with a test)
- Restaurant interiors with restrictions (with a test and under strict hygienic conditions)
- Sports inside with restrictions (with a test and under strict hygienic conditions)
- Weddings and funerals (max. 100 people inside and 250 people outside)
According to the epidemiological situation – if <25/100 000 per 7 days
- The government will address the wearing of masks and respirators
Covid-19 information: where to find it?
Knowing where to find reliable Covid-19-related information during the times of information overload and fake news might be sometimes overwhelming. The Expat Centre Prague gathered available information and created a list of trustworthy English sources. The websites below provide information about the current situation, state of emergency, government measures and other subjects related to Covid-19.
Central coronavirus information line 1221
Line 1221 is designed for public inquiries related to the COVID-19 pandemic. It is open every weekday from 8:00 to 19:00, on weekends from 9:00 to 16:30. Inquiries from the public will be answered by trained medics. In regular shifts, almost a hundred of medically trained staff take turns on the line.
The operators of this line will give you answers to questions from the following areas:
- Travel
- Results of my tests
- Health problems
- Risk contact
- Quarantine
- Emergency measures currently in force
Hygienic station Prague
WEBSITE (Czech only) – PHONE NUMBER: 227 272 065
Praha.eu
The official portal of the City of Prague gathered essential information regarding the Covid-19 disease, including important news, contact numbers and tips on prevention.
Prague for all
Prague for all, a website dedicated to migrants living in Prague, provides up-to-date information and recommendations on coronavirus and the current situation. The website is available in several language versions: Czech, English, Russian, Vietnamese and Ukrainian.
Covid portal
A new information portal launched at the beginning of November 2020 serves as a one-stop location for its citizens and residents to find a complete overview about current measures, resources, testing information, and other relevant data. At the moment the site is presented in beta form and information may not yet be entirely complete.
Ministry of Health
The Ministry of Health of the Czech Republic launched a new website dedicated solely to Covid-19. The website covers important contacts, best practices, information for health professionals, information for employees and employers, issued measures and recommendations, press releases and news, as well as developments in the world and an overview of countries at high risk of transmission, and necessary downloadable materials.
Ministry of the Interior
WEBSITE – INFORMATION FOR FOREIGN NATIONALS
In addition to general information about the current situation in the Czech Republic, the Ministry of Interior’s website provides notices for foreign nationals about new obligations, residency, accommodation and other matters.
CzechInvest
WEBSITE – GOVERNMENT MEASURES – FAQ
The Investment and Business Development Agency CzechInvest is responsible for domestic and foreign investments of the Czech Republic and also supports small, medium-sized and innovative start-up companies, the country’s business infrastructure, and innovation. The section COVID-19 on their website provides information for businesses and entrepreneurs.
Re-open EU
The European Commission launched Re-open EU, an interactive web platform for their citizens that provides all the necessary information regarding travelling across Europe.
The platform provides real-time information on borders, means of transport, travel restrictions, public health and safety measures such as physical distancing or the wearing of facemasks, available in 24 languages. Moreover, the platform acts as a central point of reference for anyone travelling in the EU as it centralises information gathered both by the European Commission and the Member States. As free movement and cross-border travel are crucial to tourism, an interactive map offers updates on national measures and advice for visitors available for each EU Member State. Europeans are also able to browse country-specific information at their ease.
Where to get tested in Prague?
Map of the official collection points in Prague:
What to expect if you test positive for COVID-19?
You can find out a positive result either from your general practitioner (in case they have indicated you – the result will be reported to them by the laboratory) or from the staff of the local hygienic station responsible for your place of residence. You will receive the result by telephone or text message.
When you receive a positive result, you will be informed that you must remain in isolation (which means limiting contact with other people and staying at home).
The general practitioner will order you a 10 days quarantine and declare you as temporarily incapable for work. The work incapacity (so-called “neschopenka” in Czech) is issued from the date of the positive test. In the event that after the 10-day isolation you are at least three days without any symptoms, you are considered healthy and do not need to undergo any further testing. Your GP will then clear you for work. If your symptoms persist, contact your GP.
Search and monitoring of contacts
Smart quarantine (Chytrá karanténa) is a system that results in the early detection and effective testing of COVID-19 positive patients and isolation of as many potentially infected people as possible. Part of the Smart Quarantine is cooperation with the infected by providing a selection of contacts with whom you have been in high-risk contact in recent days.
Contact with another person is defined as a high-risk contact when you remain in a close mutual distance (up to 2 m) for at least 15 minutes without a face mask. Such contacts usually include members of your household, family members or relatives, co-workers, participants in camps, etc.
How does it work?
- A person who is identified as COVID-19 positive is contacted by the regional hygiene station to specify as many high-risk contacts in the last 5 days as possible.
- After providing official consent, the regional hygiene station will create a list of high-risk contacts, so-called “memory map” of the places where the infected person moved based on mobile data from operators. The list should include the name, surname and telephone number of the person concerned.
- After the infected person provides all high-risk contacts, they are informed and isolated in quarantine as quickly as possible.
- Subsequently, after 4-5 days these contacts in quarantine will receive a visit from a two-member sampling team, which takes a sample and ensures that it reaches the laboratory with free capacity so that the tested person is informed of the result as soon as possible (ideally within 48 hours).
- If the test is positive, the newly infected person goes through the same whole process (of course, subject to an official consent).
What to expect if you have been in high-risk contact with a person positive for Covid-19
You will be contacted by the local hygienic station according to your place of residence as part of the epidemiological inquiry based on the information obtained from a person who tested positive for COVID-19. You may not be contacted on the same day that the person you met is tested positive given that it might take some time to obtain a contact list and evaluate the risk (however, it is usually done the following day).
In any case, if you are aware of contact with a positive person (for example, if a friend notifies you before the hygienic station does), you should behave accordingly and avoid contacts with other people as a precaution.
You will also be informed that you have to undergo quarantine for 10 days from the high-risk contact with a positive person. You need to call your general practitioner who will issue the quarantine (and work incapability if needed) to you. There are no restrictions on family members and people sharing a household with you. In the case you have been in a high-risk contact but have suffered from COVID-19 in the past 90 days, you do not have the obligation to undergo quarantine.
After 5 – 7 days (but no later than the 10th day) from the high-risk contact with this person, you need to undergo a COVID-19 test. For this purpose, you will be issued an electronic application in your name. To complete this application, the hygienic station employees will need to obtain additional information from you, such as place of residence or your birth number.
If your test is negative, you continue with the set quarantine and in the absence of clinical signs, the quarantine will be terminated by the general practitioner. If the first or second test is positive, you will be ordered to isolate for 10 days from the date of the positivity and proceed accordingly.
Coronavirus and anti-epidemic measures have reduced business activities and diminished income in almost every business sector all around the world. The Czech government prepared various subsidy programs and financial reliefs to partially compensate these outages. We are bringing you an overview of the available financial support for business now affected by the second wave of the pandemic.
On October 5, 2020, a state of emergency was declared, during which many restrictions on ordinary life in the Czech Republic occur on a daily basis. Therefore, it is essential to pay attention to the latest information. These are often not available in a language other than Czech, so if in doubt, do not hesitate to contact us.
From October 22, 2020, the operation of the public offices is limited only to ensuring the necessary agenda. The authorities have very limited opening hours. If you have any urgent matter to deal with, check the website of a specific office, or contact it by phone. The restriction also applies to the Foreign Police (availability must be verified by telephone) and the Asylum and Migration Policy Department.
Asylum and Migration Policy Department
With the Asylum and Migration Policy Department, it is necessary to book an appointment in advance. Existing appointments are still valid.
You can book an appointment for:
- registration upon arrival
- processing of biometric data
- issuance of residence permits
- to issue a bridging label – confirmation of legality of your stay (e.g. by a valid travel ticket)
The Asylum and Migration Policy Department currently accepts applications for:
- a long-stay visa and a long-term residence permit in order to endure a stay in the territory
- long-term residence permit following a long-stay visa
- residence permits for children born in the Czech Republic
Booking an appointment is possible by phone or online. Other submissions should be sent via the data box (6bnaawp) or via post (as a registered letter).
Information regarding visa and residence permits
Third-country nationals (that is a non-EU citizen) who reside in the Czech Republic with:
- a short-stay visa for the purpose of employment,
- a short-stay visa for seasonal purposes,
- a visa for a stay of more than 90 days for seasonal purposes, or
- an extraordinary work visa
If you are a third-country national and your visa expires after March 12, 2020, the travel period and the validity of the work permit can be extended until November 16, 2020, granted that and the employer negotiates with you an extension of the current employment or you sign a new employment contract immediately after the previous one expires.
Holders of employee cards have the opportunity to change employers earlier than 6 months from
the day they received the employee card. The change must be notified to the Ministry of the Interior on the completed form and it is necessary to provide the required documents according to the law.
If your employer is implementing or assisting in crisis measures, you can start immediately after being notified of a change of employer. To notify the change, you need to provide a statement from the new employer on how they are involved in the implementation of crisis measures (eg health activities, production of protective equipment, etc.).
For further information and current developments, follow the pages of the Department of Asylum and Migration Policy of the Ministry of the Interior of the Czech Republic.
The general restrictions on crossing the borders of the Czech Republic, both outwards and inwards, continue to apply. For more information, read the section about Travelling from the Czech Republic – restrictions and prohibitions.
Last update: 22.02.2021
Restrictions on tourism and entry of foreigners to the Czech Republic.
Hotels and accommodation facilities have been prohibited from accepting travel for tourist purposes, though they may still accommodate business travellers. Travelling to the Czech Republic is allowed only for essential reasons, such as travelling to work and for business purposes (including cross-border workers), essential family travel, travelling to healthcare facilities, and attending a wedding or a funeral. However, Czech borders are not closed at the moment, nor are authorities conducting border controls at any locations.
Further information can be found on the Ministry of Interior websites or in the official infographics.
COVID-19 traffic light
The list of countries with a low risk of infection will be regularly updated on the basis of established criteria according to a mechanism for assessing the epidemiological situation of individual EU Member States so that the travel traffic light system is unified across the EU. Countries are divided into three categories: green, orange and red. The measures and restrictions apply both to Czech citizens returning to the Czech Republic and to all foreigners.
From February 5, the following rules apply for arrivals from foreign countries:
As a passenger from dark red countries (applies both to foreigners and Czech citizens), you have the obligation to notify the relevant regional hygienic station before entering the territory of the Czech Republic by filling in an online arrival form. At the same time, you have an obligation to undergo the first PCR test before entering the territory of the Czech Republic (the test can not older than 48 hours). Subsequently, you will have to submit the second PCR test performed in the Czech Republic no earlier than 5 days after entry. The result of the test must then be notified to the hygienic station. Self-isolation is required until a second negative test is submitted and you will need to wear a respirator of at least FFP2 class for another five days after submitting the results of your second PCR test.
If you are travelling from these countries (both as a foreigner or Czech citizen), you must fill in an online arrival form before entering the Czech Republic. At the same time, you have to undergo an antigen or PCR test before entering the territory of the Czech Republic which must not be older than 48 hours. Subsequently, you will have to undergo a second PCR test in the Czech Republic, which can be performed as soon as 5 days after arrival. The result of the test must then be notified to the hygienic station. Self-isolation is required until a second negative test is submitted.
Passengers from these countries (both foreigners and Czech citizens) must fill in an online arrival form before entering the Czech Republic. At the same time, there is an obligation to undergo an antigen or PCR test before entering the territory of the Czech Republic which must not be older than 48 hours.
Passengers can arrive from these countries without any restrictions.
For the current traffic light for travelling, visit the Travellers’ map.
Exceptions to the rules
The above does not apply:
a) for international transport staff if the reason for entry is confirmed by an appropriate document,
b) for citizens of the European Union, including citizens of the Czech Republic, and foreigners with a long-term or permanent residence permit in the European Union who transit within 12 hours through the Czech Republic or travel to or from the Czech Republic for a period not exceeding 24 hours,
c) for accredited members of diplomatic missions in the Czech Republic, including private officials, holders of diplomatic passports travelling to the Czech Republic for business purposes and officials of international organizations registered with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, if their stay in the territory does not exceed 14 days,
d) for persons under 5 years of age,
e) for citizens of the Czech Republic, citizens of the European Union and their family members residing in the Czech Republic and for foreigners with a residence permit of more than 90 days issued by the Czech Republic who stayed only in the regions listed in the list of countries at low risk of contracting COVID-19,
f) for cross-border workers, pupils and students who, for the purpose of performing work or education, regularly and at least once a week legally cross the state border with the Czech Republic to or from a neighbouring state
Further information
The obligation to undergo an RTS-PCR test at one’s own expense can also be fulfilled by submitting a negative result to an RT-PCR test, which has been performed in an EU Member State and is not older than 72 hours. In such a case, the test result is submitted immediately after entering the territory of the Czech Republic to the locally relevant regional hygienic station. Exceptions to testing are children under 5 years of age.
For all trips abroad, it is necessary to check the conditions of entry, restrictions and preventive measures of the destination country in advance. Before travelling abroad or before returning to the Czech Republic via the territory of a third country, it is recommended to check in advance the currently valid conditions of transport directly with the agreed public transport carrier (plane, bus, train). It cannot be ruled out that individual transport companies will require prior electronic registration from passengers as well as a negative test for COVID-19 before the start of the journey.
The official information line provides information in Czech and English and is available from Monday to Thursday from 8 am to 4 pm and on Friday from 8 am to 12 noon on the number: +420 974 820 680 (option 3)
E-mail address for questions related to the conditions of entry into the territory of the Czech Republic: cestovani.covid19@mvcr.cz
Further information can be found on the Ministry of Foreign Affairs websites, the Ministry of Health websites or in our article.
For real-time information on borders, means of transport, travel restrictions, public health and safety measures such as physical distancing or the wearing of facemasks, visit RE-OPEN EU.
The platform acts as a central point of reference for anyone travelling in the EU as it centralises information gathered both by the European Commission and the Member States. This interactive map offers updates on national measures and advice for visitors available for each EU Member State. Europeans are also able to browse country-specific information at their ease. Read more here.
Common COVID-19 hoaxes
In connection with the COVID-19 epidemic, countless hoaxes, fake news and misinformation are spreading through social networks. Disinformation most often aims to downplay the data and the course of the coronavirus pandemic or to discredit official information published by the government. Below, we present an overview of the common narratives with disinformation potential appearing in this context in the media and spreading through social networks or chain e-mails in the Czech Republic.
1. EU IS INCAPABLE
CLAIM: The EU is not able to respond to the crisis effectively and is therefore unnecessary, the EU is only harmful in the current crisis (alleged support for migration, alleged efforts to prevent the acceptance of aid offered by Russia, etc.).
EXAMPLE: Silvia Kucherenko on Russia’s aid to Italy: Putin is a man of action, but a team of EU experts has been unable to do anything. Source: Sputnik Czech Republic
FACTS: Health and internal security are among the areas in which the EU has very little competence. Both are the sole responsibility of the Member States. On the other hand, in its areas of competence, the EU is active in resolving the crisis – it has created a rescue fund from which the Czech Republic can use approximately 30 billion crowns to help small and medium-sized enterprises, stabilize health care or support the labour market as such. The EU is spending another significant amount of money on developing a coronavirus vaccine as soon as possible and is committed to making the approval process as easy and as fast as possible. It also announced the joint purchase of protective equipment, co-finances the return of Czech and other European citizens from abroad, or organizes flights where commercial carriers no longer fly. It also makes other recommendations, such as a proposal to provide lanes for the rapid handling of lorries at EU border crossings, to ensure the rapid supply of necessary goods, such as food or materials for the production of protective equipment.
The EU is actively addressing the situation. For an up-to-date overview of EU activities in the fight against coronavirus, see the European Commission’s website.
2. CORONAVIRUS AND MIGRATION
CLAIM: The government or public service media is flooding the public with information about coronavirus, which, together with the measures taken, is intended to divert citizens’ attention from the real current danger of migration. It is presented as an organized “invasion” supported by non-profit organizations, or as a targeted effort to Islamize Europe. The consequences of the coronavirus pandemic are intended to help build capacity for the “planned” supply of migrants.
EXAMPLES: Influenza worse than migrating snails and niggers? Duce Hamáček announced the resumption of border controls. Source: Vlastenecké noviny.
From the Vox Populi blog: In Germany, seniors have been evicted from their homes due to migrants, now the coronavirus is useful for them. Source: Pravý prostor.
FACTS: A conspiratorial but unsubstantiated claim about the organized efforts of supranational “elites”, the European Union, the UN, NGOs and Czech political leaders to import (Muslim) migrants to Europe, has been present on the disinformation media scene for several years. It has recently been extended in relation to the situation at Greek-Macedonian border and the coronavirus pandemic.
The Czech Republic has a long-term defined and applied migration policy strategy, including the fight against illegal migration and a description of possible threats arising from this phenomenon. In addition to joining the EU’s support for Greece, the Czech Republic is also solving the current migration situation on the Greek-Turkish border by sending police officers to guard this border. The Czech Republic also consistently defends its opposition to the so-called relocations of migrants (quotas) defined by resolutions of the Parliament of the Czech Republic and the Government of the Czech Republic. The disinformation media scene did not provide any evidence of its claim of “coronavirus distraction”.
For an up-to-date overview of the Czech Republic’s migration-related measures, see the website of the Ministry of the Interior.
3. THE VIRUS WAS DEVELOPED AS A BIOLOGICAL WEAPON
CLAIM: The virus was developed as a biological weapon (Americans / British / Chinese / by global elites, such as Bill Gates, etc.), was created to destroy humanity, the controlled collapse of the financial system, establish world domination, profit from the sale of vaccines, etc.
EXAMPLE: Coronavirus: Is it a biological weapon? Who created it? Who released it? A look at the facts. Source: Pravý prostor.
FACTS: Disinformation is very often related to geopolitical issues, as is in the case of disinformation about the spread of coronavirus. According to currently available information, this virus was not created in a laboratory or artificially, which has been agreed upon by several leading research institutions and laboratories. The natural spread of this virus has mutated its genetic information, but the gradual modification of the virus is normal and likely. Since, according to current knowledge, it cannot be proven that the virus was developed artificially, it is not possible to speculate on the targeted creation of this virus by one or the other power in order to achieve its political or geopolitical goals with its help.
For further information regarding the nature of the virus, we recommend following the latest news on the World Health Organization or the Ministry of Health.
4. ALTERNATIVE TREATMENT AND PREVENTION
CLAIM: Using alcohol, garlic, smoking, drinking hot water, washing with chlorine, using nasal drops, antibiotics, colloidal gold, etc. as a prevention or treatment of the disease. Deterioration of the course of the disease with the use of ibuprofen or drugs containing it, the ineffectiveness of protective equipment (face masks), etc.
EXAMPLE: Cure for coronavirus: It’s that simple: Whiskey and honey! Source: AC24
FACTS: Consumption of alcohol, garlic, smoking, drinking hot water, washing with chlorine, taking nasal drops or antibiotics is not effective in the fight against coronavirus. These and other “tips” are debunked by the Ministry of Health on their website aimed at informing the public about coronavirus (Czech only). According to the State Institute for Drug Control (SÚKL), a doctor or pharmacist can recommend various treatment options to relieve the problems (fever) that accompany COVID-19. These include the use of anti-inflammatory drugs such as ibuprofen. Thus, the use of ibuprofen in accordance with the package leaflet is an effective and safe treatment for fever and pain. According to the European Medicines Agency (EMA), there is currently no scientific evidence that ibuprofen worsens the course of COVID-19 infection.
The existence of an effective anti-coronavirus drug has not yet been confirmed, but the positive effect of existing drugs is being intensively developed or investigated. Regarding Remdesivir, SÚKL issued a positive opinion on its use for COVID-19 (Czech only). Remdesivir is intended for critically ill patients and is considered on a case-by-case basis.
For more information on coronavirus, treatment or prevention, follow trusted and verified sources, such as the Ministry of Health, and follow doctors’ advice.
5. FOREIGN STATES SEIZE PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT OF THE CZECH REPUBLIC
CLAIM: Germany (or other states) maliciously withhold supplies of the necessary medical aids for the Czech Republic, which limits the necessary health care, the government and the mainstream media intentionally conceal this information.
EXAMPLE: Coronavirus: I don’t think so! Does Germany detain shipments with veils to the Czech Republic and other countries on its territory? Millions of respirators in German warehouses, while thousands of people die in Europe !. Source: Arfa.cz.
FACTS: Some European countries, including Germany, but also the Czech Republic, have banned the export of medical supplies since March 4, 2020. In connection with this ban, but also the general lack of medical supplies and different channels of orders and distribution, the situation with these supplies is not always completely clear. This situation is often abused for fabrication or considerable manipulation of facts in an attempt to cause panic, spread anti-European or anti-German sentiments. The situations that have been publicized so far in this context (detention of Czech supplies by Germany, Hungary or Chinese supplies to Italy by the Czech Republic) have shown that this is not an intention and can be resolved constructively by cooperation with the official authorities of the states.
For more information regarding the import and export of medical supplies, see the Customs Administration website.
6. THE CITIES QUARANTINE AND ITS IMPACTS
CLAIM: Demonization of ongoing security measures with the potential to cause panic (use of terms such as “concentration camp”, “martial law”, calls for lynching of non-quarantineers, etc.), speculation about closing specific areas (eg Prague), etc. These are usually variations of a narrative whose author seeks to create an impression of credibility by referring to “guaranteed” inside information from the security community.
EXAMPLE: List of concentration camps – Panic does not end, but grows: Olomouc closed! People are not allowed to leave or enter 21 municipalities. Source: Vlastenecké noviny.
FACTS: Hoaxes about the closure of some areas or cities appear repeatedly (especially) on social networks. The situation does not only concern the Czech Republic, these messages can also be found in Slovakia, for example. The recorded cases concerning Prague were disproved by the Minister of the Interior, the Prime Minister and the Mayor of the Capital City of Prague. Social networks and disinformation media websites may also contain distorted and manipulative information about the conditions that allegedly prevail in closed areas, or criticism of already existing or planned measures (for example in the so-called smart quarantine), which are described as totalitarian and self-serving, which calls into question the constitutional principles of the Czech Republic as a democratic state governed by the rule of law. The quarantine of municipalities in the Olomouc region has already been completed in accordance with the evaluation of the hygiene situation.
For an overview of currently adopted measures, see, for example, the pages of the Government of the Czech Republic.
7. FORCED HARMFUL VACCINATION IS BEING PREPARED
CLAIM: The state is preparing forced mass vaccination of the population as a tool to control society, as part of the vaccination, toxic substances or, for example, nanochips will be introduced into the body, which will then be used for electronic identification of the population.
EXAMPLE: Coronavirus COVID-19 pandemic. The real danger is “Agenda ID2020”. Source: Nová republika.
FACTS: Conspiracy theories about coronavirus in preparation for forced or widespread vaccination are very often associated with disinformation narratives about “secret elite intentions and vaccination as a means of establishing totalitarian world domination”. It mainly benefits from the often irrational belief of some people that vaccination is not only ineffective but even dangerous. Such disinformation is currently pointless and serves primarily to provoke fear, distrust and panic.
For more information on the effects of vaccination, we recommend monitoring trusted sources, such as the Ministry of Health (Czech only) or the World Health Organization.
8. EPIDEMIC IS ONLY PRETENDED, THE SITUATION IS NOT SERIOUS
CLAIM: The epidemic is fabricated, used to cause panic, control the population with fear, cover up other problems, create a totalitarian society, etc. The coronavirus pandemic is not serious and therefore protective measures are not necessary. The economic impact is more dangerous to the state than the damage that a virus can cause.
EXAMPLE: How to do a pandemic when fewer people died than last year. The world of Dr. Wodarga. Coronavirus is said to be fiction. Many ridicule him, but data against him is missing. VIDEO and shocking statistics. Source: Arfa.cz.
FACTS: A significant argument against the underestimation of the virus is the real situation in countries with a high increase in the number of detected infected persons. The comparison with the effects of other diseases does not stand up – the coronavirus has a longer incubation period than, for example, influenza, which increases the probability of human-to-human transmission even at the stage when the first infected person does not know he has the virus. The timely implementation of key measures is therefore essential. There are also voices that consider the negative economic impacts of the measures taken to be more important than the effects of the uncontrolled spread of the virus and the necessarily related effects on the health system. However, uncontrolled spread could undoubtedly have, in addition to its own significant economic impacts, also much more serious social impacts.
For more information on the consequences and impacts of a pandemic, we recommend monitoring credible sources, such as the Ministry of Health or the World Health Organization.
9. CORONAVIRUS AND 5G
CLAIM: Speculation about the connection between the virus and the introduction of 5G networks in the context of the perceived health risks associated with the introduction of new technologies (previously, for example, the claim that 5G causes cancer).
EXAMPLE: Covert operation. Maybe when people understand, it will be too late. 5G hidden behind CORONAVIRUS. Source: Tadesco.
FACTS: There is no scientific evidence for an alleged link between the operation of 5G networks and the development of COVID-19. These are two completely unrelated areas. Although the coronavirus is relatively new and scientific research is still underway to find a cure and vaccine against it, current scientific evidence suggests that it was caused by a natural mutation. 5G technology has and has had no effect on or related to this mutation. 5G technology is simply just a newer version of today’s mobile technology, which enables faster data transfers.
For more information on the consequences and impacts of a pandemic, we recommend monitoring credible sources, such as the Ministry of Health or the World Health Organization.
10. THE AMERICANS ARE ABUSING THE CRISIS FOR MILITARY USE
CLAIM: The Americans, under the guise of crisis, are secretly deploying their troops throughout Europe, preparing to launch military operations, occupy Europe, etc.
EXAMPLE: In the shadow of coronavirus: The US is moving huge numbers of soldiers, planes and tanks to Europe. We are on the brink of war, says the expert. The United States has never occupied Europe with such a strong army as it does now. Source: Arfa.cz.
FACTS: The above misinformation is in some cases based on the planned NATO Defender-Europe 20 military exercise, which was scheduled to take place in Europe in spring 2020 and to which hundreds of vehicles and thousands of US military troops were to be transferred to Europe. However, their transfer was completed due to the onset of the coronavirus crisis, and the US military decided to return those training units that had already been transported to Europe.
For current information, follow the websites of NATO or the Ministry of Defense.
This overview is based on the activities of the Center against Terrorism and Hybrid Threats, which monitors disinformation cases related to internal security occurring in the Czech information space.