The obligation to wear face masks on public transport due to the spread of Covid-19 ended in Czechia as of Thursday. Wearing face protection remains mandatory only in healthcare facilities and in-patient social care facilities.
According to Health Minister Vlastimil Válek, this measure will likely remain in place until the turn of April and May. Prime Minister Petr Fiala announced the changes at a press conference following a government meeting.
“After two years, we have the opportunity to enjoy a normal Easter without restrictions and measures. Nevertheless, we ask everyone to continue to behave reasonably and responsibly,” said Fiala.
When arriving at the government meeting, the Minister of Health Vlastimil Válek stated that he still recommends wearing face masks in places with a greater concentration of people.
According to the prime minister, the easing of the measures was made possible thanks to the responsibility of citizens, vaccinations, well-set rules, and the declining number of new Covid-19 cases. In other public spaces, such as shops or offices, the obligation to wear face masks ended in mid-March.
The virus is still here, the health minister warns
Face protection will continue to be mandatory in medical and social facilities for about two more weeks.
“Nevertheless, we must regularly assess data from medical facilities in particular. The virus is here, it is still mutating, and it is more and more contagious, although the number of deaths is not rising,” noted Válek.
According to him, people who did not get vaccinated are those dying and staying in intensive care units.
In April, the number of Covid-19 cases per day began to decline again after March stagnation. This week there were around 4,000 cases per day. However, experts estimate that the real number of infected people who do not get tested or do not have symptoms can be two to three times higher.
Since mid-February, the number of hospitalized people with Covid-19 has been steadily declining, and currently stands at fewer than 1,400 people.
