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The Czech Republic coped better with the first wave of infections than many other countries. The second wave is now hitting the country much harder. The debate revolves around a possible failure of the government.
By Peter Lange, ARD Studio Prague
The second corona wave hits the Czech Republic more than the first wave in spring. And everyone is wondering: How did the country get into this situation when the Czech Republic was so successful in the spring? The political dispute is now over the responsibility of the government, which reacted too late and has not yet really understood what the time is.
Prime Minister Babis is disappointed
In March, the Czech Republic isolated itself by closing its borders. Now the Czechs are isolated. One government after another declares Prague or the entire country a risk zone. More recently, Cyprus, the Netherlands, China and even Slovakia, which especially disappointed Czech Prime Minister Andrej Babis.
He said: “I think we are not a risk country. We could discuss who tests how. Slovakia tests five times less than us. So: I’m sorry they made that decision.”
Babis repeatedly points out that the number of deaths per crown, based on a million inhabitants, remains very low. The Czech Republic ranks third in Europe.
Alone: When it comes to new infections, the country has sadly now reached a peak too: more than 2,100 new cases in 24 hours. Almost as much as Germany, but in a population eight times smaller.
For Roman Prymula, co-decisive epidemiologist in spring and now adviser to the government, the matter is clear: “I think the second wave has arrived. We can see that the increase in new infections is significantly higher than during the first wave.”
The Czech Republic has 482 deaths per crown
The increase will continue in the next two to three weeks, which is also reflected in other figures: the reproduction rate at 1.6; currently 17,600 patients. 388 were treated in hospitals on Tuesday, 55 more than the day before. And since the beginning of this month, 58 people have died as a result of the pandemic, a total of 482 now.
Maybe a “carefree summer”
The Czech Republic pays the price for an overly carefree summer, as Jarmina Razova, the country’s top health official, sees it: “Two weeks ago, a lot of people came back from vacation. The children go to school and we all go back to our daily lives. The current situation corresponds to the relaxed behavior that we have cultivated during the summer. “
Criticism in and against the government is on the rise. Interior Minister Jan Hamacek would like to reconvene the crisis team, Babis and Health Minister Adam Vojtech are against it. The opposition accuses Babis of underestimating the situation and asks why the country is so poorly prepared for the second wave.
This is the question that observers like the political scientist Lukas Jelinek ask themselves. His answer: “Because Babis listens to the opinions of ordinary people, who he reads on his party’s ANO website, he has rejected the opinions of epidemiologists.”
Many new restrictions
The mood of the population was not of new restrictions in the summer. But now the turmoil erupts. New editions are announced in an accelerated process, always in an effort not to stagnate the economy.
Starting tomorrow, restaurants, bars and clubs will only be able to admit as many people as they have seats. All kinds of restaurants and bars across the country must close between midnight and 6 a.m.
In fact, the government had promised to use the crown traffic light only to impose new requirements where the risk of infection has increased. Now, the former wonder what is the value of the promise that there will by no means be a second blockage.
