Prague will turn red on traffic-light map, says Mayor; distance learning to start next week

Prague will be marked red on the Czech Health Ministry’s “traffic light” map of Czech regions on Friday, Prague Mayor Zdeněk Hřib tweeted on Friday, indicating the highest level of COVID-19 risk in the country.

A number of preventative coronavirus measures will go into place, including distance learning at all universities starting next week.

“Prague will be red on the traffic light map,” Hřib tweets.

“We agreed with the hygienists that we will introduce distance teaching in all Prague secondary schools and universities within the next week.”

Later, Hřib corrected his first statement to add that it would only be universities that will be closing.

“Correction: In the end, the hygiene office does not agree with the introduction of distance learning in secondary schools. It will only be at universities. But I personally believe that this should be the case.”

Prague chief public health officer Zdeňka Jágrová said on Thursday that 29 schools in Prague were hit by the infection.

Hřib also tweeted that he recommended all employees of the city, its companies and organizations to install the new eRouška 2.0 application, which will warn users of potentially risky encounters with an infected person.

Most of the country is expected to be elevated to green low-risk status, with 11 regions including Prague as orange medium-risk.

New restrictions are quickly being enacted to help slow the spread of COVID-19 cases in the country.