Czech Republic: Authorities continuing to gradually ease COVID-19-related restrictions as of April 23 /update 38

Czech Republic continuing to gradually ease COVID-19 measures as of April 23; significant business, travel restrictions still in place.

Event

As of April 23, authorities in the Czech Republic are continuing to gradually ease measures that had been introduced to combat the spread of COVID-19. The nation's state of emergency is no longer in force; moreover, the daily curfew has been lifted and nonessential movement between districts has been allowed to resume. From April 26, kindergartens will reopen in districts with low rates of infection; officials hope to ease further measures on May 3.

Nevertheless, the following controls are still in effect:

Social gatherings are limited to 10 people inside or 20 people outside; other public gatherings are limited to a maximum of 100 attendees.
Catering establishments are permitted to provide carryout services only.
Many businesses and services remain closed; those that are permitted to open must adhere to strict hygiene and social distancing measures.
Protective face coverings are mandatory in all indoor public areas, on public transportation, and outdoors when social distancing of 2 meters (6 feet) between people cannot be observed.
Employees are advised to work from home wherever possible.

International Entry Restrictions
All nonessential travel to the country remains suspended, with the exception of travel by Czech nationals and residents; persons traveling for essential purposes may enter the Czech Republic. As of April 23, the government categorizes all countries as green, orange, red, or dark red zones in order of increasing severity of COVID-19 activity:

Green countries: Australia, Iceland, New Zealand, Singapore, South Korea, Thailand, Vatican City
Orange countries: Finland, Ireland, Malta, Portugal, Spain (only Balearic Islands)
Red and dark red countries: All other countries

Czech citizens and residents arriving from green countries may enter without restriction. Individuals arriving from an orange, red, or dark red country must fill out an electronic arrival form before departing for the Czech Republic and wear a facemask with a filtering facepiece protection class of at least 2 (FFP2) when in public for 14 days after arrival They must also produce a negative result from a COVID-19 polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test taken no more than 72 hours before departure, or an antigen test taken no more than 24 hours prior to departure. Travelers from orange countries must submit a negative COVID-19 test before entering their workplace or educational institution. Travelers from red countries must take a second COVID-19 test within five days following arrival, while travelers from dark red countries may not take a second test earlier than five days after arrival; travelers in both categories must remain in self-isolation until the results from these second tests return.

Authorities could ease, tighten, extend, or otherwise amend restrictions at any time depending on disease activity over the coming weeks.

Advice

Follow all official instructions. Abide by national health and safety measures. Reconfirm all travel arrangements. Consider delaying traveling if experiencing symptoms associated with COVID-19, as they may prompt increased scrutiny and delays. Liaise with trusted contacts for further updates and guidance. Maintain contact with your diplomatic representation. Ensure contingency plans account for further disruptive measures or extensions of current restrictions.