The state of emergency begins today. What is allowed and what is not?

In the Czech Republic, the state of emergency will come into effect again from Monday, October 5, 2020. This brings new restrictions that will limit our daily life for two weeks. Additional nationwide measures will be added to the obligation to wear face masks in all indoor areas and to limit the opening hours of restaurants and bars.

The state of emergency will be in effect for 30 days until the beginning of November. The Minister of Health Roman Prymula justified the declaration of a state of emergency by trying to slow down the growth rate of the number of patients.

Restrictions on mass events

Mass events held in a number of more than 10 people indoors and in a number of more than 20 people outdoors will be banned. However, according to the Minister of Health Roman Prymula, the measure will have a number of exceptions.

Exceptions include, for example, household members, work in employment or business, council, and proceedings of state bodies and courts.

Sports

Sports matches will take place without spectators. Only athletes, executive team, match staff and media up to 130 people will be allowed at the stadiums. The restriction also does not apply to gyms or aqua parks and they can remain open. Leisure sports for up to 10 people indoors and 20 people on outdoor courts will be allowed.

Culture

Restrictions will apply to performances with singing, such as operas or musicals, concerts, theatrical performances and other artistic performances, and festivities at which singing is predominant, including rehearsals.

Theatres and cinemas will continue to play for up to 500 people, provided that the distance of 2 meters between the participants and the performers (actors, musicians) must be maintained. Each participant needs to have a designated place to sit and serving of food and drinks in the premises is prohibited.

Religious services

Religious ceremonies are limited to a maximum number of 100 participants. Those who attend the service must have a designated seat area, with the exception of leaders and their assistants. Singing during the service is prohibited.

Weddings

Special rules apply to weddings and funerals. The capacity of only 30 people will come to effect from October 19.

Restaurants and bars

Restaurants and bars still have restrictions on opening hours. The facility must be closed from 22:00 until 06:00 in the morning.

However, new measures are added. Distances between the tables so that customers do not sit closer than 1.5 meters from two different tables must be secured. In addition, only six people can sit at one table. There can be no more people in the restaurant than there are seats.

If a person buys food at the dispensing window and consumes it near the establishment, he or she must stay two meters away from the others, unless they share a household.

School closures and restrictions of after school activities

In the territory of the City of Prague and regions classified as red and orange according to the valid regional COVID-19 traffic light, the operation of secondary schools, colleges, art and music schools, language schools and universities will be restricted from 5 October 2020 to 18 October.

Due to the current epidemiological situation, the personal presence of students in classes will be prohibited in these regions. The closing of schools will not concern practical teaching, only theoretical ones.

In primary schools, music education will be taught without singing for 14 days regardless of the colour of the traffic light. Gymnastics and physical education will continue without restrictions for first through fifth graders, for older pupils, it should take place outdoors.

After-school clubs (“školní družiny”) will function as usual. Extracurricular activities are limited to groups of a maximum of ten participants indoors and 20 outdoors. The operation of leisure centres (“středisko volného času”) is restricted and the personal presence of children is banned.

Universities

The current rules continue to apply at universities. Distance learning is established in most of them depending on the decision of the regional hygienist. In the territory of the City of Prague, this semester will take place in the online form at all universities and colleges until October 31, 2020. The ban on personal presence of students at the universities does not apply to:

• individual visits to libraries and study rooms
• individual consultations
• testing in the presence of a maximum of 10 people
• laboratory, experimental or artistic work in the presence of not more than 15 people
• clinical and practical teaching