Face masks mandatory indoors, new travel restrictions

Due to the worsening epidemiological situation, wearing face coverings indoors will be once again mandatory in the whole country.

The obligation (re)starts Thursday, September 10th. On Tuesday, there were 1,164 new cases of Covid-19 - that is the most since the beginning of the pandemic.

However, the Ministry of Health announced several exceptions to the rule. For example, children under 2 years old, restaurant guests (while eating and drinking), people in swimming pools, athletes (during training and matches) will not have to wear a mask. Face coverings also won't be mandatory in kindergartens and in school classrooms.

People will have to wear a mask at work - with the exception of employees working in one place, for example in an office. If they manage to maintain a two-metre distance from others, they can keep their mask off.

After evaluating Czechia's epidemiological situation, Belgium has decided to place Prague on its "red list". When travelling from Prague, people will have to quarantine for 14 days and get tested. Germany also plans to include Prague on its list of high-risk areas and require a negative Covid-19 test upon arrival.

Prime Minister Andrej Babiš (ANO) announced that Czech Republic, Austria and Slovakia will not restrict travel among each other, after meeting the Austrian Chancellor Sebastian Kurz and the Slovak Prime Minister Igor Matovič in Vienna.