The government will discuss proposals by the Health Ministry to curb the spread of the covid-19 epidemic at an emergency meeting on Wednesday. The ministry is proposing that restaurant staff be required to check customers for tests or vaccinations. It also wants to restore the compulsory wearing of respirators at work. The number of people infected has been rising rapidly in recent days.
On Monday, the country saw the highest daily increase in the number of cases of COVID-19 since late April, when there were 2,536, and Tuesday’s increase was even higher at 3,246 infected.
The number of hospital admissions has also risen. More than 100 patients were added at the turn of the week. The current number is 620, of whom 102 are in serious condition. The statistics do not show deterioration over the last day, but the data is usually updated retrospectively.
The Ministry of Health is proposing that restaurant staff should be required to check customers for tests or vaccinations. According to Health Minister Adam Vojtech (ANO), this measure has been discussed with representatives of restaurateurs and breweries and is supported by the Chamber of Commerce.
The ministry also wants to restore the compulsory wearing of respirators indoors at work and in schools. Education Minister Robert Plaga has opposed this.
As part of the anti-coronavirus measures, the health ministry also proposes to end the reimbursement of preventive tests for covid-19 by public health insurance from 1 December but provides for exceptions. These will be children under 12 years of age, and probably also people who have started vaccinations. On the other hand, the conditions for quarantine after contact with an infected person could be more lenient. After a week, it could be terminated by a negative test.