The Czech government ordered the country to enter Level 5 restrictions following days of rising daily infection rates. The move means that only goods considered to be essential items can be sold in stores, a further blow to countless retailers who were counting on post-holiday sales to clear out unsold inventory and recoup at least some cash. Unlike in the first lockdown, however, large retailers such as hypermarkets won’t be able to sell everything on their shelves, simply because they sell a high percentage of food and other essential items. Clothing stores complained vociferously before that hypermarkets were continuing to sell clothes during the lockdown, giving them an unfair advantage. Now, all shelves that display toys, clothing and electronics have to be placed behind tape to indicate that they are not for sale. The government is preparing new measures to compensate the owners of restaurants and cafes for the closings. Whether the financial aid will come in time, however, is questionable, at least for many owners who say that this latest round of forced closings will prove fatal. The state of emergency that has been in place in October has been extended until January 22. It gives the government the right to close a variety of stores and to limit the movement of people in ways that would be unconstitutional under normal circumstances.
