Hungary, Sweden listed as 'very high risk' on latest Czech COVID-19 travel map

Hungary, Sweden and Madeira will be listed as dark red areas with the highest risk of COVID-19 on the latest Czech travel map, valid from Monday. Return travel from these places will be more slightly more complicated for Czech residents from March 15.

Additionally, Finland and Monaco will move to the red group of high risk countries, and Portugal to the orange group with medium risk for COVID-19.

When returning from dark red countries with very high risk, travelers must take a PCR test before their return to the Czech Republic. Upon arrival, they must go into mandatory quarantine. After five days, they can take a second PCR test. If negative, the quarantine can be ended. A minority of EU member countries and most countries outside the EU fall under this category.

For red countries or regions with high infection risk, along with a test before the trip, travelers must undergo another PCR test within five days after arrival. Until then, they must stay in quarantine.

The difference between countries of high and very high risk is the time of mandatory quarantine upon arrival. Travelers coming from high-risk countries may take a PCR test immediately after arrival and leave quarantine if it is negative, while travelers from very high-risk countries must spend at least five days in quarantine before taking a test.

As of Monday, Finland and Monaco will be listed among the high-risk countries along with Andorra, Belgium, Bulgaria, France, Croatia, Italy, Ireland, Cyprus, Lithuania, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Latvia, Germany, the Netherlands, Poland, Austria, Romania, Greece, Switzerland, Spain and the Canary Islands.

For return from the orange or medium-risk countries, an antigen or PCR test is required before entering the Czech Republic. The group is comprised of Denmark, Norway, the Azores and Balearic Islands and now Portugal.

A total ban on traveling to areas with a very high risk of the South African COVID-19 mutation has been in effect for the past two weeks. This includes Botswana, Brazil, Eswatini, South Africa, Kenya, Lesotho, Malawi, Mozambique, Tanzania, Zambia and Zimbabwe.

No anti-epidemic measures apply to green countries with a low risk of infection. Among European countries, this group only includes the Vatican and Iceland; among non-European countries, Australia, South Korea, New Zealand, Singapore and Thailand are green.

Currently, foreigners are allowed to travel to the Czech Republic only for necessary reasons. In late January, the government banned their travel to the Czech Republic, except for travel to work or school and visits to family members for health reasons, weddings or funerals.