Individual transport from countries with a high risk of getting the new coronavirus will no longer require a negative test as of Thursday. People returning from countries in the dark red category, on the other hand, will be required to take a PCR test within 14 days of their arrival in the Czech Republic. They will be restricted in their movements until they submit negative results, according to Kryštof Berka, a speaker of the ministry’s press department.
On Monday, the Municipal Court in Prague revoked the initial measure, which took effect on Thursday, June 17th. According to the court, the freedom of citizens to return to the Czech Republic, as provided by the Charter of Fundamental Rights and Freedoms, was restricted. As a result, the ministry released new legislation today. The authorities are still considering a cassation appeal to the Supreme Administrative Court (SAC).
Until today, a test was only required before entering the Czech Republic if you were returning from a country with a very high risk of infection, such as those in the dark red category. The court abolished personal transportation, but public transportation, such as international trains, long-distance buses, and airplanes, is preserved.
After a cabinet meeting on Monday, Health Minister Adam Vojtěch (ANO) said he didn’t see why people arriving by private transportation would be “less unsafe” than those leaving for the same nation by public transit.
On May 28, the ministry released the measure, which was partially revoked. According to the court, the goal of preserving public health can be achieved with less drastic measures than submitting to an obligatory test by a recognized laboratory before returning to the Czech Republic.
This is currently only the case when returning from the dark red category, which covers a small number of EU member nations and the majority of third-world countries, including the United Kingdom. Testing is only required if the person utilizes public transportation upon returning to the Czech Republic from countries with a high or medium risk of infection, i.e., the red and orange categories of nations.
The risk of returning people infecting others is low, according to the court, when they travel alone, such as in their cars. The other duties also mitigate the chance of returning from countries where the pandemic situation is worse. People returning from dark-red countries must now take a PCR test no later than the fifth day after arriving, and they must remain in voluntary isolation until the test results are negative. They’ll also have to fill out an arrival form.