Tuesday news summary

Croatia not among the riskiest countries anymore

From today, Croatia will once again belong to the list of red countries with high risk which is the second most risky category. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced on Twitter today that the Ministry of Health had updated its measures. Only yesterday, Croatia was moved to dark red, i.e. very risky areas with the strictest conditions for arrival.

When returning from countries with a very high risk, marked in dark red, a test is mandatory before traveling to the Czech Republic, upon arrival, passengers must quarantine. After five days, they can do a second PCR test, which in case of a negative result will allow the quarantine to end. Most Member States of the European Union and third countries fall into this category.

Only 180 intensive-care beds available for Covid-19 patients in hospitals

There are only about 180 intensive-care beds left in hospitals for patients with Covid-19 out of a total of more than 3,900. The situation is worse in the western part of the Czech Republic, Minister of Health Jan Blatný (for ANO) said at a press conference after the government meeting. There are regions where there are only units of free beds. About 84 percent of the total capacity in the country is occupied.

Pupils will return to schools in March with regular testing

According to Deputy Prime Minister Jan Hamáček (ČSSD), the government is ready to start returning students to schools with antigen testing for Covid-19 from the 1st of March. According to the Minister of Education, Robert Plaga, the 9th grades of primary schools and graduates will go first. The return of at least part of the pupils to schools is one of the conditions that the regional governors gave to the government when requesting a state of emergency for another 14 days.

Another budget deficit raise approved by the government

The government has approved an increase of this year's state budget deficit to 500 billion crowns, the Finance Minister Alena Schillerová (for ANO) announced. The approved deficit was originally 320 billion. The increased deficit now takes into account the effects of tax changes in force since the beginning of the year. According to the chairwoman of the National Budget Council, Eva Zamrazilová, the increase in the deficit shows that last year's adoption of the tax package was even more irresponsible than it originally appeared. Economic experts state that the half-trillion deficit is unjustified.