Czech weekend news roundup: December 25-26, 2021

Areas in Northern Bohemia saw a steep drop in temperatures last night, reaching -10 degrees Celsius in most areas. A low of -26.8 degrees was recorded by the Kořenov, Jizerka - Rašeliniště measuring station in the in the Jizera Mountains, according to the Czech Hydrometeorological Institute.

Due to the low temperatures, drivers are advised to proceed with caution in the region, as well as in neighboring Liberec. Many roads are covered with layers of both ice and snow, and salt is not effective at melting the ice at such low temperatures. Before the end of the year, temperatures across the Czech Republic are expected to sharply rise.

Firefighters in the Czech Republic responded to 46 fires on Christmas Eve, according to Czech firefighters' spokeswoman Nicole Studena. While there were no casualties reported, there were 21 injuries and fires caused damages estimated at 3.4 million crowns.

The highest number of fires broke out in the Moravia-Silesia and Prague regions, where firefighters were called in to extinguish six fires each. In contrast, no fires broke out in the Olomouc Region. In multiple cases, the fires were related to Christmas celebrations, including incidents that involved Christmas trees and advent wreaths.

Over 30 people including children were poisoned by carbon monoxide in Prague's Modřany district on Saturday night, and paramedics took 27 of them to the hospital, according to Prague's Medical Rescue Service.

Due to the poisoning, the Medical Rescue Service activated a traumatology plan used in mass accidents. At the scene of the accident, four crews ambulance crews and Atego, a special ambulance for mass emergencies that can transport up to 12 people, attended to patients. "No people have lost conscience. We are treating them and taking them to Prague hospitals,“ the Medical Rescue Service wrote on Twitter.

Demand for food delivery services in the Czech Republic saw a significant rise over the Christmas holidays this year, according to information provided by Dáme jídlo. Pizza was the most popular choice, but traditional Czech food also saw a rise in interest over 2020. Last-minute gifts, most often toys, were also ordered through shops registered on the platform. Most of the orders were delivered in large cities.

"In the case of food deliveries from restaurants, two thirds of the orders were from Prague and Brno," Dáme jídlo says in a press release. "On Christmas Day, orders from Dáme jídlo were delivered by 270 couriers. Of the total number of restaurants registered on the platform, of which there are over 6,000, people ordered food from 660 of them on Christmas Day, which represents an increase of 30 percent compared to 2020.”

A sharp drop in temperatures resulted in snowfall and the formation of ice on roads in many Czech regions overnight, but no significant problems have been reported as of this morning. Maintenance workers have preemptively salted primary roads in many areas of the county, including the South Bohemia, South Moravia, and Vysočina regions.

Snowfall is expected to continue throughout the day on Saturday, with a low-level snow warning in effect for areas in the west, south, and central areas of the country. As of this morning, drivers in the Hradec Králové region are advised to proceed with caution; weather conditions can also cause complications in the Zlín, Olomouc, Moravia-Silesia, and Liberec regions.

Around 5,200 visitors came to Prague Zoo on Christmas Eve, according to information posted to the Zoo's website. On December 24, Prague Zoo sold entrance tickets until 2:00 p.m., and closed its gates at 4:00 p.m. Visitors were able to take part in a special Christmas program that included narrated feedings, as well as bring in edible food such as fruits and vegetables from their own home for the Zoo's animals to enjoy.

Apples were the most popular choice of food brought to the Zoo by visitors, at a total of 680 kilograms; carrots (560 kilograms) and bread (530 kilograms) were also common gifts. Food donated to Prague Zoo will be distributed to its animal population throughout the Christmas holidays. Prague Zoo is one of the Czech Republic's most-visited locations, but attendance has suffered due to the Covid-19 pandemic. A total of 851,623 people visited the Zoo in 2020, more than 600,000 less than in 2019.

The rise in popularity of e-shops over recent years has also led to a rise in the use of boxes for shipping, which often end up in the trash. But a new project encourages consumers to donate these boxes back to e-shops, where they can be re-used whole. At the website kamsnim.cz, an interactive map shows the nearest collection point where you can donate used boxes for re-use. If there isn't a collection point near you, the map also displays standard recycling areas where boxes and other materials can be disposed of.

"The boxes and filling material are brought to Popůvek near Brno by individuals who collect them at home, but we also contact companies with whom we have arranged regular pick-ups of discarded cartons," says Petra Lopušníková from the Czech company Tierra Verde, which participates in the project. "We will re-use everything when packing new shipments for our e-shop."

The vast majority of Czechs tune in to TV over the Christmas holidays, according to data from the Association of Television Organization (ATO). Roughly 8.7 million Czechs turn on the TV at least once during the holidays, and spend an average of 5.5 hours per day watching television. December 24 is the most-watched date, followed by December 31 and December 26. Fairy tales broadcast on December 24 are often the most-watched programs, and frequently feature among the most-seen TV events of the year.

"Fairy tales broadcast on Christmas Eve regularly occupy the top places in the list of the most-watched programs," says Pavel Müller, Head of Research & Marketing at Atmedia Czech. "Last year was a record from this point of view. In previous years, fairy tales broadcast during Christmas occupied three to five positions in the ranking of the top ten most-watched shows of the year."

The operation of Prague's integrated public transport network (PID) in 2022 will cost the Czech capital 19.15 billion crowns, an increase of more than 1.5 billion crowns over 2021, according to the city's approved city budget for next year. The PID system integrates Prague and Central Bohemian public transport, covering metro, tram, bus, and train services throughout the area.

The cost increase is partially due to lost revenue from the coronavirus pandemic, which has resulted in fewer local passengers as well as tourists. "The draft budget for 2022 includes expected fare revenues at a reduced rate compared to the 2021 plan," states the draft budget document. "According to the current situation, the forecast of sales losses is around 20 to 25 percent compared to 2019."