The Czech Foreign Ministry has restricted entry for those people who have stayed in South African countries in the past 14 days. Third-country nationals will not be allowed to enter the Czech Republic at all, and Czechs and EU citizens will have to follow strict epidemiological requirements. Trips to these areas are not recommended, said the head of the ministry, Jakub Kulhánek. The measure is a response to the new coronavirus variant spreading in the south of Africa.
Due to the omicron variant, Czechs and citizens of EU countries now have to be in quarantine at least ten days after arriving in the Czech Republic. Third-country nationals without a long-term residence permit in the Czech Republic cannot enter the country.
The restrictions, which are in force until Dec. 12, apply to people who have resided in South Africa, Namibia, Lesotho, Swaziland, Zimbabwe, Botswana, Mozambique, and Zambia.
“According to the first analyzes, the new coronavirus mutation looks very dangerous. We know from experience how fast the virus can spread,” said Health Minister Adam Vojtěch on Friday.
On Nov. 26, Czechia again declared a state of emergency in the Czech Republic, canceled the Christmas markets, and limited participation in mass events.
The omicron variant, first identified by scientists more than two weeks ago, is said to have a “very unusual constellation” of mutations that should make it more capable of overcoming human immunity and becoming more contagious.
