According to the Government Council for Health Risks, the proposal to open stores from February 22 is acceptable. FFP2 respirators will be a must for store staff. The Ministry of Industry and Trade (MIT) will also involve shopping centers in education. Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Industry and Trade Karel Havlíček (YES) wrote this on twitter today.
On Monday evening, Havlíček announced that, in agreement with the regions, in the coming days he would propose to the government the resumption of business operations from the following Monday. Strict hygienic conditions would be necessary when opening them. They should cover the maximum number of customers per operating area, the obligation to wear drapes, keeping spacing or using disinfection. The Ministry of Industry and Trade is to specify them in the coming days. According to Havlíček, however, the rules will not be surprising. He said on Monday that respirators would not be mandatory for customers.
According to Havlíček, the relaxation of measures concerning services, cultural or sports facilities will depend on the further development of the coronavirus pandemic. If the situation is managed, these operations could follow, according to him.
The Confederation of Trade and Tourism of the Czech Republic welcomes Havlíček’s initiative, but according to its president Tomáš Prouza, it can be perceived as an effort to be faster than the Constitutional Court. He is due to make a decision on February 22 on the issue of retail restrictions. In November, a group of 63 senators challenged a government decree before the Constitutional Court. She described the measures as discriminatory and liquidating for smaller stores.
The government has banned retail sales since October 22 to prevent the spread of coronavirus. The cabinet allowed a short, roughly three-week dismantling in December. Exceptions to the ban are food, pharmacies, drugstores, opticians, haberdashery or florists. Only basic goods can be sold.
Source: CTK
