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The Czech government will close non-essential shops, services and ski lifts and enforce a stricter curfew starting Sunday, as it seeks to curb another increase in Covid-19 infections and hospitalizations.
Health Minister Jan Blatny said the government approved moving the country to the highest level of the government’s risk index, triggering tougher restrictions that will largely lock in the country of 10.7 million during the Christmas season.
Covid-19 infections have risen throughout December, after the government barely relaxed restrictions at the beginning of the month after curbing one of the biggest spikes in infections in Europe in October and November.
On Tuesday, the daily infection count rose above 10,000 for the first time since Nov.6.
The country has already closed bars and restaurants again, so the new restrictions will affect points of sale and services such as hairdressers.
Stores that sell basic goods will remain open, although supermarkets will only be able to sell basic goods.
Other items can be ordered online.
The night curfew will change its start to 9 pm, starting at 11 pm, and public gatherings will be limited to two people outside of families.
Religious services will be allowed up to 10% of the seating capacity. The ski lifts will be closed.
In schools, only first and second grade students will return to classrooms after Christmas break, while other students will begin distance learning.
Blatny said the government will meet in the first week of January to review the measures, which are expected to last until January 10.
Restrictions during the second wave of the pandemic have hit the Czech economy, though not as hard as after the initial outbreak, when factories also stopped, causing a record contraction in the second quarter.
Meanwhile, Switzerland has started the launch of the Covid-19 vaccine, and a nursing home resident in her 90s became the first person to receive an approved vaccine.
The woman received the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine just four days after it was approved by national regulators.
Switzerland is battling stubbornly high coronavirus cases. The country of 8.6 million people has suffered a total of more than 415,000 infections and more than 6,300 deaths since the pandemic began.
Britain was the first country in the world to implement the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine on December 8.
The European Union is scheduled to start vaccinating on December 27.
In Ireland the date of December 30 has been set for the first vaccinations here.
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