At its emergency pandemic meeting Monday, the Czech government decreed that restaurants will have to close at 8 pm. Improvement in the number of daily cases has slowed down, but the government was responding to reports of parties taking place into the morning hours at restaurants and bars. Having allowed them to open for business until 10 pm just last week, many restaurant owners are angry that everyone is being punished for the irresponsible behavior of a few establishments. The public consumption of alcohol has also been banned, to prevent groups from forming outside bars or in public areas. But the government decided to allow stores to remain open, despite fears that the country could be placed once again in lockdown. With winter arriving, and people making plans for the holidays, the government has not yet given the green light for ski slopes to open for business. Officials are preparing a manual for ski area operators that will spell out the rules governing the slopes and how skiers will have to be kept apart from each other.
