Expat Handbook: COVID-19 edition

• Last update: 16.02.2022

Overview of the current emergency measures

Free movement

State of emergency: The 30-day state of emergency has ended on December 25, 2021.

Consumption of alcohol in public is not prohibited anymore.

Mass events: A maximum of 100 people can attend non-seating mass events, events for seated audiences have a limit of 1000 visitors. Funerals stay unrestricted.

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 the workplace, shops, businesses, public transport (including enclosed ski cabins), motor vehicles (unless you are a member of the same household), medical facilities, international airports and on the public transport platforms.

It is not mandatory to wear face protection outdoors anymore unless someone is around in a two-meter radius. 

Exceptions: Face masks and respirators do not need to be worn by children under the age of two, and by people with intellectual disabilities or severe mental disorders. Children under 15 can wear a surgical face mask instead of a respirator.

Cloth face masks, homemade masks or scarves are not considered sufficient.

Testing, vaccination and recovery 

Testing (vaccinated): Health insurance companies no longer reimburse people for antigen tests. Fully vaccinated are entitled to five PCR tests per month. Children from 12 to 18 years of age, people with one dose of vaccination and people with contraindications will be reimbursed for five PCR tests per month.

Testing (non-vaccinated): Health insurance companies no longer reimburse any tests for non-vaccinated people over the age of 18. PCR test costs about CZK 800, antigen test about CZK 200.

Exceptions apply to people who have been sent for a test by a doctor, hygienic station or employer, and those who are not recommended to be vaccinated for health reasons. These people continue to have their tests covered by health insurance companies.

Shops, services and culture

Shops and services: All retail stores and services can be opened within the normal opening hours. There is a limit to the number of customers in a store  – a maximum of one customer per 10 square meters. 

Cultural events, sports events, conferences: Until February 18, a maximum limit of 100 participants (or 1,000 seated spectators) at mass events will continue to apply. Between February 19 to 28, the maximum capacity will increase to 500. In the case of seated audiences, it will be possible to increase the number of more than 1,000 spectators by 50% of the remaining capacity of the venue.

Museums, galleries and monuments: All museums, galleries and tourist destinations operate without restrictions. Social distancing (1.5 meters) is required.

Libraries can be open, with a limit of one person per 15 square meters. 

Zoos and Botanical Gardens: Both indoor and outdoor spaces are open with 100% of the capacity allowed. Social distancing (1.5 meters) is required. 

Restaurants and hotels

As of February 10, a certificate of vaccination or proof of overcoming the illness is no longer obligatory in restaurants, hotels and at mass events.

Restaurants, pubs, bars, discos, music and clubs, cafes, casinos and similar establishments can have both outdoor and indoor spaces open. It is recommended to disinfect your hands and keep social distancing (1.5 meters).

Hotels and other accommodation facilities are open without any restrictions.

Sport

Fitness centres and gyms:  Face masks are not mandatory but visitors have to keep a 2 m distance. The changing rooms are open in normal mode.

Wellness and swimming pools: Wellness, saunas or salt caves are open in 100% of their capacity. The social distancing of 1.5 meters is required.

Professional sports: Professional sports activities are allowed without any restriction.

Amateur sports: Amateur athletes can train and play sports with a maximum capacity of 100 people. 

Schools and universities

Testing in schools will end on February 18.

Testing: The last testing day was Monday, February 14. In the week between 14 and 18 February, there is an obligation to continue testing after Monday for individual children and students who return to school after Monday, for example after an illness.

Respirators: Teachers who have not completed vaccinations are required to wear a respirator during classes. Face protection is still mandatory in the common areas of the school. In the classrooms, students do not need to wear face protection if they are sitting in their place.

Universities: University students must wear respirators when there are more than 50 people in a class.

Conditions and testing in companies

Testing in companies will end on February 18.

Social and medical facilities

Hospital, follow-up and long-term care and social care visits: Whoever cannot prove a completed vaccination, must either provide proof of recovery or submit a valid negative test result. The validity of the tests is 72 hours for PCR and 24 hours for antigen tests. A respirator must be worn throughout the whole visit (children may have a surgical face mask). 

Visits to prisons: Visits are allowed under certain conditions – vaccination, recovery, or negative result of a PCR test.

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.

Prague City Hall: At the Prague City Hall, hygiene measures still apply. 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.

Last update: 16.02.2022

COVID-19 traffic light 

For the up-to-date traffic light for travelling, visit the Travellers’ map.

Travelling from EU countries:

All travellers from European Union countries must:

• complete the arrival form
• prove either:
  • a certificate of completed vaccination or a booster vaccination,
  • or recovery from covid-19 certificate,
  • or a negative result of an antigen or PCR test.

Antigen test cannot be older than 24 hours, PCR test 72 hours.

In case of arrival by individual transport, citizens of the Czech Republic or EU member state, family members of citizens of the Czech Republic or EU with a residence permit in the EU, or foreigners with a long-term or permanent residence permit in the EU do not have to fill in the arrival form or provide a certificate of vaccination or recovery, or the result of a test.

The obligation also does not apply to persons under 12 years of age.

Travelling from countries outside the EU:

Citizens of the Czech Republic, citizens of the EU, family members of citizens of the Czech Republic or the EU with a residence permit in the EU, or foreigners with a long-term or permanent residence permit in the EU must:

• complete the arrival form
• prove either:
  • a certificate of completed vaccination or a booster vaccination,
  • or recovery from covid-19 certificate,
  • or a negative result of an antigen or PCR test.

Persons who have not been vaccinated or who have not contracted covid-19 must also undergo a PCR test between the 5th and 7th day after entering the territory of the Czech Republic.

Antigen test cannot be older than 24 hours, PCR test 72 hours.

In case of arrival by individual transport, citizens of the Czech Republic or EU member state, family members of citizens of the Czech Republic or EU with a residence permit in the EU, or foreigners with a long-term or permanent residence permit in the EU do not have to fill in the arrival form or provide a certificate of vaccination or recovery, or the result of a test.

The obligation also does not apply to persons under 12 years of age.

Foreigners and third-country nationals must

• complete the arrival form
• prove either:
  • a certificate of completed vaccination or a booster vaccination,
  • or recovery from covid-19 certificate,
  • or a negative result of a PCR test (no older than 72 hours).

Persons who have not been vaccinated or who have not contracted covid-19 must also undergo a PCR test between the 5th and 7th day after entering the territory of the Czech Republic.

These obligations do not apply to persons under 12 years of age.

Tests that are recognized for entry into the Czech Republic:

• antigen testing: written confirmation of a negative antigen test result that is not older than 24 hours from the date of the test
• RT-PCR testing: written confirmation of a negative result of the RT-PCR test, which is not older than 72 hours from the date of the test

Written confirmation of the test result must be issued by an authorized health care provider or laboratory in the country where the test was performed.

However, this condition is not met when, for example:

• a Czech doctor who travels with a travel agency to Egypt and on-site (without an Egyptian authorization) performs antigen tests,
• a tourist in Tunisia takes a self-test and sends a photo of the result to a doctor in the Czech Republic, who issues a certificate (antigenic self-tests cannot be used for this purpose at all).

Further information

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 the protective measure of the Ministry of Health (Czech only)

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.

Vaccination against COVID-19 in the Czech Republic has been taking place since December 2020. Vaccination is voluntary and the vaccine is covered by public health insurance, therefore, it is free for both Czech and foreign nationals. Only EMA-approved vaccines are used in the Czech Republic. More information about available vaccines can be found here or here.

Am I eligible for the vaccine in the Czech Republic?

The Central Registration System is available for the following groups:

• people older than 80 years of age
• healthcare professionals
• non-medical staff involved in the provision of health care and care for COVID-19 positive persons
• people aged 70 – 79 years
• pedagogical and non-pedagogical workers
• critical infrastructure staff
• people with chronic diseases
• workers in social services
• technical and economic staff (THP workers) in health facilities
• people caring for a person in III. or IV. degree of dependence
• people aged 65 – 69
• people aged 60-64
• university academic staff
• people aged 40 – 59 years
• people aged 35 – 39 years – started May 24
• people aged 30 – 34 years – started May 26
• people aged 16 – 29 years – started June 4

Alternatively, registration through general practitioners is possible for people over the age of 30 who are not registered at vaccination sites and persons with a serious chronic disease who do not meet the age conditions.

Vaccination for foreigners

Foreign nationals living in the Czech Republic are entitled to vaccination, which is covered by public health insurance, in the following cases:

• You are insured in the Czech public health insurance system (by your employer or on the basis of European coordination regulations). In that case, you can register for vaccination using your insurance number.
• If you are insured in another EU country and are exercising your rights to benefits as an EU national living and/or working in an EU country other than your own, therefore, you are entitled to full medical care in the Czech Republic (you hold an S1 form that entitles you and any dependants to healthcare in another EU country on the same basis as a resident of that country). Then, you can register for vaccination using the insurance number, which is usually assigned after the auxiliary registration.
• If you are insured in another EU state and are in the Czech Republic, according to the European Health Insurance Card (EHIC), you are entitled to the necessary care and you are registered with the Czech health insurance company according to the European Health Insurance Card (EHIC). Again, your registration will take place using the insurance number you can obtain from your Czech health insurance company. You must carry out the so-called auxiliary registration with one of the seven Czech health insurance companies.

What if that does not apply to me?

Vaccination of other groups of foreigners according to their status is currently the subject of negotiations.

If you have comprehensive commercial health insurance with PVZP, you will be fully reimbursed for the vaccination from this insurance. 

NEWSFLASH: According to the latest information from the Ministry of Health, the vaccination registration system should finally open to foreigners without public insurance at midnight from Thursday, June 10,  to Friday, June 11. Gabriela Štěpanyová, the spokeswoman for the Ministry of Health, confirmed this information, stating that foreigners who are not in the Czech public health care system but have lived here for a long time will now be able to register. The registration system at registrace.mzcr.cz will be available in English and will work the same for everyone – Czechs and foreigners alike (currently open to people over 16). At the end of June, according to the chief hygienist Pavla Svrčinová, the 12+ category could also open and it will also apply to foreigners living in the Czech Republic. So far, expats without public health insurance cannot be vaccinated through general practitioners.

The reservation system will offer designated vaccination points, which will provide English-speaking staff and allow on-the-spot payment for vaccination. There will be at least one such vaccination site designated in each region and up to six of them established in Prague. For example, in Prague, foreigners are to be vaccinated at the Motol University Hospital and the Královské Vinohrady University Hospital, however, it depends on the possibilities of payment on the spot and on the language skills of the staff. The Thomayer University Hospital also announced a launch of vaccinations for self-payers who are not insured with a Czech health insurance company, starting from July 1, 2021. 

In vaccination centres, expats will only receive a two-dose vaccine from Pfizer/BioNTech and the price of one dose of the vaccine should not exceed CZK 810. Payment will always be made on the spot, even if you have commercial insurance. The reimbursement can be then arranged additionally with your insurance company in accordance with the rules of the insurance.

How to register for a vaccine?

Information needed for registration

Most of the information you enter is the same for everyone:

• Name
• Surname
• Insurance number
• Insurance company number
• A place of permanent residence
• E-mail (optional)
• Phone
• Preferred vaccination centre

You will also need additional information, but this already varies according to the group to which you belong:

• if you register on the basis of belonging to an age group, tick which group it is and the insurance number will be sufficient for confirmation;
• if you register according to your job (teachers, health professionals, …), you will need a special registration code given by your employer (they will also decide whether you are entitled to vaccination, however, it is not their obligation to give you a code – the risk of exposure to the disease and age of the employee are usually taken into account), you will then have to take a written confirmation from the employer with you to the vaccination centre;
• if you register as a chronic patient, your doctor will decide if your medical condition requires priority vaccination and if so, will give you a special registration code; then you will have to take a medical report (e.g. from your last doctor’s visit) with you to the vaccination centre.

Step 1: Registration for vaccination

Registration for vaccination takes place through the central reservation system: registration.mzcr.cz.

The first step is registration. First, you will be asked to fill in your phone number (click on the blue button “Zadat telefonní číslo” and confirm your consent to the processing of personal data). You will then receive an SMS message with the verification code (PIN1). After filling in this code, you will enter information about yourself (name, permanent residence, birth number, number and name of your health insurance company) and select the place where you want to get vaccinated. You can choose a vaccination centre that suits your needs or is close to where you live from the list of vaccination centres in Prague.

If you find that you have entered incorrect information, go to registrace.mzcr.cz/detail, where you can manage the registration. However, please note that once you enter your phone number, it is not possible to change it, so make sure you fill it in correctly.

Step 2: Booking the appointment

The second step is booking the appointment. After registration, it can take minutes or days for you to receive an invitation SMS. This is because each vaccination site manages its capacities and invites registered candidates only when it has the vaccine ready. When the vaccination centre of your choice has an opening, you will receive an invitation SMS message with the PIN2 code. After entering this code, you will book an appointment. An invitation SMS means that the vaccine site has free doses of vaccine available. The vaccination appointment can be created at: rezervace.mzcr.cz.

IMPORTANT! Reservation of the appointment must be made within 72 hours of receiving PIN 2 and is not possible without an invitation SMS. If you do not book the appointment up to 72 hours at that moment offered by the deadline expires. If for any reason you do not make a reservation within 72 hours, you are returned to the register of those interested in vaccinations and are waiting for a new invitation SMS. You can be returned to the registration a maximum of three times, after which your registration will expire.

Depending on the type of vaccine, your vaccination will take place on one or two appointments. The reservation concerns only the date of administration of the first dose of the vaccine, an appointment for a second dose will be assigned automatically. For your vaccination appointment, you have to bring your ID card and insurance card with you.

Further information and a detailed description of the registration process is available at the official city websites ockovani.praha.eu. More information about the next and final step – carrying out the vaccination at the vaccination point, can be found at the Covid Portal websites.

More information and useful links

For more information, you can call the free Prague vaccination helpline 800 160 166. The helpline is open on working days: on Mondays and Wednesdays from 8 AM to 6 PM; Tuesdays and Thursdays from 8 AM to 3 PM; and on Fridays from 8 AM to 2:30 PM.

If you have any questions or problems with the registration, you can contact the Assistance hotline 1221, which is available every day from 8 AM to 7 PM, where they can also help with registration and reservation if you do not have internet, for example. Moreover, you can e-mail in support of the Central Reservation System at covid-podpora@nakit.cz.

If you have undergone a vaccination abroad and you interested in the eligibility of this vaccination in the Czech Republic, read the opinion of the Czech Vaccinological Society (Czech only).

• Frequently asked questions to the Ministry of Health (Covid Portal)
• Vaccination at GPs’ surgeries (ockovani.praha.eu)
• The Metropolitan Vaccination Centre Prague (ockovani.praha.eu)

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

WEBSITE – IMPORTANT NOTICES

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

WEBSITE – FACEBOOK PAGE

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

WEBSITE

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

WEBSITE

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

WEBSITE

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. 

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 10^th 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.

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.