The Czech government decreed that it would impose a state of emergency as of Monday, October 5 in order to give it greater freedom in imposing restrictions in the fight against the Covid-19 pandemic. The country’s new Minister of Health Roman Prymula said the main priority was to ensure that the number of patients hospitalized for Covid-19 didn’t overwhelm the resources of the health system. Among the new measures enacted are limiting indoor public events to just 10 people, allowing a maximum of six people to sit at a single table in restaurants, and the cancellation of musicals and operas. Organized sporting events will still be able to go ahead, but without fans. Secondary schools in high-risk regions such as Prague will be closed for at least two weeks. Prymula said no repeat of the lockdown from last spring is being considered at the moment. The state of emergency will be in effect for 30 days. The number of new cases fell to just over 1,000 on Wednesday for the first time in 10 days, but it remains to be seen if this is part of a larger trend.
