The Czech Republic on Thursday decreed a 30-day state of emergency due to the new coronavirus (Covid-19) pandemic, closing its borders to travellers from “high-risk areas,” including Belgium.
In addition to Belgium, the measure affects travellers from France, Germany, the United Kingdom and 11 other countries. The Czech Government has also banned its citizens from travelling to the same 15 countries, Prime Minister Andrej Babis told journalists.
All Czech citizens currently abroad will be able to return to the country, but those coming in from a high-risk country will first be placed in preventive quarantine, according to Radio Prague, a public station.
Babis also announced a ban on cultural and other events with more than 30 people, while restaurants will now be closed between 08:00 PM and 06:00 AM to curb the propagation of the virus.
Sports halls, swimming pools, libraries and galleries will also be closed to the public from Friday morning, Radio Prague announced.
Oscar Schneider
The Brussels Times
