The pace of holiday sales at most stores in the Czech Republic has speeded up drastically, with sales doubling during the third Advent weekend compared to 2019. The dramatic jump in sales is due in part to news that the government is looking seriously at locking down portions of the economy to prevent more rapid growth of the Covid-19 pandemic. Shops opened up barely two weeks ago thanks to significant reductions in the number of new infections, but the situation is now worsening again. On Monday, the government is expected to discuss the possibility of shutting down all restaurants and hotels. However, there are fears the lockdown could be tougher still, throwing preparations for the holidays into chaos. The online retailer Mall.cz reported weekend sales that were triple its standard volume for Saturday and Sunday.
