State of emergency and new restrictions to be declared in Czech Republic as of Monday

Prague, Sept 29 (CTK) -- A state of emergency as well as new anti-COVID restrictions will go into effect from next Monday due to the growing number of coronavirus cases and the overburdened healthcare system in the Czech Republic.

The cabinet will vote on the state of emergency proposed by Health Minster Roman Prymula on Wednesday. "The government has the right to declare it for 30 days, which is the time during which the second wave should be managed," he said. 

Prymula said in a press briefing today that the decision was necessary to allow the cabinet to take blanket measures aimed at lowering the COVID-19 reproduction number standing, at 1.2 now.

"The current unhappy epidemiological situation requires a drastic solution and is the reason for declaring a state of emergency. The reproduction number is still 1.2, which could endanger the capacity of hospitals at the end of next month," he said.

The state of emergency will start on Monday and will last for 30 days. High schools in the districts classified orange and red will also close from Monday, October 5, but only for 14 days, Prymula and Minister of Education Robert Plaga announced.

The health minister said he hopes the new measures reduce the current reproductive number of 1.2 by 30 to 40 percent, ie up to 0.8 to 0.9 percent.

"Leisure time activities are absolutely everything. The gathering of people will be restricted," Prymula said. He said the new measures would not touch on the economy.

Restrictions on the number of guests in restaurants and possibly shopping malls could be put in place to prevent the students from closed schools from gathering there, Prymula said.