Hamáček: Czech Republic should move to fourth PES level by Wednesday

The Czech Republic should introduce measures corresponding to the fourth risk level of the PES anti-epidemic system by Wednesday at the latest, Interior Minister and Deputy PM Jan Hamáček told Czech Television (CT) today.

"I would not wait until Friday because the increase in figures seems excessive to me," Hamáček said.

The Czech Republic still operates under the third risk level, but Health Minister Jan Blatný said on Friday that he would propose to the government that the country move to the fourth risk level on Monday.

Should the government concur, current anti-epidemic measures would be tightened. Blatný said people would have time to get ready for the changes.

The Deputy PM said the Czech Republic had bad experience with postponing the necessary restrictions in September.

"Once the growth starts to be exponential, we will have an enormous problem in January," he said. Hamáček emphasized that this was just his opinion.

The measures corresponding to the fourth PES level would mean that restaurants and services would have to close again. Hamáček said the government would discuss compensation for them.

He said people in the restaurant business and sectors that have been affected the most by the government's measures must be offered compensation so they can have some hope.

Hamáček added that he liked the Austrian benefit plan, and that those affected by the measures should receive compensation in the form of at least 80 percent of their 2019 salary.

Previously this weekend, Hamáček spoke out about the new Czech regulation banning take-away beverages such as coffee and tea.

"This is too much," Hamáček wrote on Facebook. "Coffee in a bag is the pinnacle of absurdity."

He added that the government will also discuss this new regulation at their meeting on Monday.