Czech volunteers launch COVID-19 information portal detailing current restrictions and more

During the past eight months of rapidly-changing COVID-19 measures, the Czech government has failed to provide a one-stop location for its citizens and residents to find a complete overview about current measures, resources, testing information, and other relevant data.

Yesterday, however, a new information portal was launched that aims to include all of this information in one easy place at covid.gov.cz. In addition to a Czech version, the new site also includes comprehensive information in English.

Note that the site is currently presented in beta form, and information may not yet be entirely complete. Additionally, the English-language version does not currently include a full translation all of the information included in the Czech version of the site. 

While this information can be obtained through official bodies such as the Czech Ministry of Health or the Ministry of the Interior, it can often be difficult to sift through all the data. Information in English, in particular, is often incomplete or outdated.

The new COVID-19 information portal hopes to change that by providing answers to all coronavirus FAQs in one centralized location.

The site contains, for example, not only up-to-date details on where Czech residents are currently required to wear a face mask in indoor and outdoor locations, but also information on how to take make a face mask, how to take care of your face mask, and how to prevent skin problems that can occur as a result of wearing a face mask.

The site also offers comprehensive information on economic programs for COVID-19 relief for both businesses and individuals, but this information has not yet been fully translated into English.

The new site comes as a result from an initiative from TOP 09 MP Dominik Feri, who identified the need for a clear COVID-19 information portal and agreed on the creation of the new site two weeks ago with Czech Prime Minister Andrej Babiš.

Feri previously stated that he regretted that it took eight months for the Czech Republic to provide this kind of information portal, and that it took a member of an opposition party to push its creation forward.

The new site has been put together by volunteers from the Česko.Digital initiative, a group of IT professionals who have been dedicating their free time to providing helpful projects and information since the start of COVID-19 epidemic.

In addition to the new COVID-19 information portal, the group was also responsible for the Dáme roušky project, which connects people making face masks with those who need them, and Učíme online, which assists local schools, teachers, and parents in getting the most out of remote education.

While the Czech government was unable to put together a similar resource over the past eight months, Česko.Digital volunteers managed to create and launch its beta version in just two weeks.

Česko.Digital will work with official Czech government partner NAKIT to provide up-to-date information on the new COVID-19 information portal in the weeks and months going forward.