Czech government to discuss tightening anti-COVID-19 measures on Monday

Prague, Dec 19 (CTK) - The Czech Republic is heading towards further tightened anti-coronavirus restrictions, Deputy PM and Interior Minister Jan Hamáček said on Saturday.

The only question is when, not if, the country will move from the current fourth to the toughest fifth COVID-19 alert level on the PES scale.

The cabinet will discuss the issue on Monday, Hamáček (Social Democrats, CSSD) told the server SeznamZpravy.

The Czech Republic's PES epidemic index score remained at 76 for the second day in a row on Saturday. That number corresponds with the highest alert level (76-100) and strictest measures within the PES system.

"On Monday, work teams will meet, and the Central Crisis Staff (UKS) will discuss it as well. We must react to the [latest worsening] figures," Hamáček, who heads the UKS, said.

Health Minister Jan Blatný said on Friday that the Health Ministry would discuss proposing a rise to the highest alert level.

Based on the PES system's rules, the risk index score must remain at a higher level for three consecutive days before the alert level is raised and restrictions are tightened.

PM Andrej Babiš wrote that he has no information about whether Blatný is going to propose tightening measures at the government meeting on Monday.

The Czech Republic switched from the third to the fourth alert level on Friday, based on a government decision from the previous Monday.

On Friday, the country saw 8,800 new new coronavirus cases, the highest daily increase since November 11. The percentage of positive tests, too, was the highest since mid-November.

On the other hand, the number of COVID-19 patients in Czech hospitals slightly decreased on Friday, falling by about 80 to 4,694.