According to Health Minister Jan Blatný, there is only a 50-50 possibility that anti-coronavirus measures in the Czech Republic will be further relaxed from next Monday. According to the PES system, some regions are in the fifth, most serious PES tier, while Prague has been approaching the second tier. Photo credit: Freepik / Stock photo.
Czech Rep., Nov 27 (BD) – Czech Health Minister Jan Blatný said on Friday that the overall national score corresponds to the third PES tier. On Friday, the national PES risk score was at 57 for the fifth consecutive day. However, if the improving situation in Prague were excluded, the national average would be higher, in the fourth tier. On Thursday, Blatný estimated the chances that the current measures would be relaxed at 50%.
The government will make a final decision on whether to relax the measures at a meeting on Sunday morning. A press conference has been scheduled for 10am on Sunday.
Pressure from both sides
The media are speculating whether the government will relax the measures further or opt for a slower pace of opening, especially in the wake of the broad criticism that followed the arrival of the second wave of the epidemic after a relatively relaxed summer.
On the other hand, the political leadership of the country is under pressure from those arguing for a faster opening of closed businesses. A much-discussed current topic is the Prague restaurant Šeberák, which has already opened its doors to customers and is selling beer for one crown.
The owner of Šeberák said on social media that he is opening as he is required by law to pay taxes and ensure the economically responsible management of his business.
“Dear customers, due to the chaos that our government is creating, I have to take measures that follow from the law and especially from the requirements of the Financial Office. This regulation states that as an executive of a limited company I must behave responsibly and, above all, not do any intentional damage to the management and property of the company. That’s what the law says. That is, to behave responsibly towards the proprietorship of a company that is a taxpaying entity and is bound by the obligation to pay taxes,” reads the owner’s statement on Facebook.
Vážení zákazníci, vzhledem k chaosu, který naše vláda dělá, musím přistoupit k opatření, které vyplývá s zákonů a hlavně…
Posted by Restaurace a sportovní areál Šeberák – oficiální on Wednesday, November 25, 2020
“I consider the opening of the Šeberák restaurant to be a slap in the face to all decent people who are following the current measures and thus helping us to fight the current epidemic situation. I asked the hygiene offices and police to act yesterday. Disregarding the rules is not heroism,” said Blatný on Friday.
There were fewer new confirmed cases of coronavirus on Thursday compared to the previous week, with 4,048 new cases. The total number of deaths has risen to 7,779, with 60 further deaths reported on Thursday.
