Wednesday news summary

Company Covid-19 testing starts today

Companies with more than 250 employees have to start testing them today, and employees have a duty to submit to it. Large companies must have the tests ready for all employees by March 12. The government preferably recommends antigen testing performed by a company or external doctor, or by mobile medical teams. Mandatory testing of employees is required once a week.

Critical state of hospitals in the Pardubice Region

Today, the Pardubice Region declared a state of mass disability due to the critical situation in hospitals. The chief of the region Martin Netolický (3PK / ČSSD) stated on Czech Television that there are no more intensive care beds available for patients with Covid-19 in the region. The announcement of this condition means that healthcare professionals cannot pay the same attention to every patient, but must set treatment priorities.

Foreign help offered

The Czech Republic has been offered hundreds of places for Covid-19 patients from abroad, Foreign Minister Tomáš Petříček (ČSSD) said. He also named Switzerland among the countries that offered their spaces. Already this week, the first patients could be transported to Germany, he added.

According to Petříček, Slovenia has offered the Czech Republic to take care of up to 20 patients, Austria is ready to take care of several dozen patients. "We also have a new offer from Switzerland, which could provide transportation and care for 20 Czech patients on its territory," he added.

The House od Deputies has approved a financial contribution to people in quarantine

According to the proposal approved by the Chamber of Deputies, people should receive a contribution of up to 370 crowns a day for the first 14 days of the ordered quarantine. They would have a maximum of 90 percent of their average earnings. Excluded would be people who would be in quarantine within five days of returning from holiday abroad. The sickness bonus is intended to help reduce the spread of coronavirus infection in the Czech Republic. It aims to prevent a drop in income and motivate people to quarantine and report their contacts after meeting those infected.