France and Greece to turn orange in latest Czech COVID-19 travel map

Czech residents will be able return from France and Greece without restriction as of Monday, December 14, Health Ministry spokeswoman Barbora Peterová told CTK on Friday.

France and Greece will turn orange on the Czech travel map of COVID-19 infection risk on Monday, she added.

Foreigners working or studying in the Czech Republic will still need to provide a COVID-19 test, or undergo testing after their return from these countries, however.

Only long-term foreign workers from these countries returning to the Czech Republic have to submit a negative COVID-19 test, not cross-border commuters.

The "orange" countries include those with a ratio of positive COVID-19 cases above 4 percent and less than 250 coronavirus cases per 100,000 residents over the past two weeks.

Apart from France and Greece, the orange group includes Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Malta, Norway, Canary and Balearic Islands that are part of Spain, and the Azores and Madeira Islands that are part of Portugal.

"Green" countries are those that have seen fewer than 25 new coronavirus cases per 100,000 inhabitants over the past two weeks, and whose share of positive cases among tests conducted drops below 4 percent. The only European state that currently meets this criteria is the Vatican.

All other European countries, including Czech Republic and its neighbors, are currently red.

Among non-European countries, the green ones are Australia, Japan, South Korea, New Zealand, Singapore and Thailand.

A test is required from both Czechs and foreigners arriving from "red" countries, where the ratio of positive coronavirus cases is over 4 percent and there have been more than 250 coronavirus cases per 100,000 residents over the past two weeks.

Travelers must also fill in a form for the public health center. There are exemptions for cross-border commuters and students regularly travelling to a certain country.

Foreign trips to red countries without a coronavirus test are generally permitted for urgent family, business and health reasons if they last up to 24 hours. For other trips, an exemption may be granted for up to 12 hours.

The COVID-19 pandemic has considerably limited world travel this year.

Unlike in the spring, the Czech government has not closed the country's during the second coronavirus wave in the autumn. But most foreign countries have put the Czech Republic on their restricted list, which means complications for Czech residents who need to either submit a negative test for COVID-19 or stay in quarantine after their arrival abroad.

The Czech Foreign Ministry recommends only traveling abroad in urgent cases.