The Government of the Czech Republic prepared a plan for re-opening of shops and establishments. The process of re-opening will be performed in several waves depending on the type of business activity, size of shopping area and the number of event participants.
The plan may still be changed since the development of the epidemic, even though relatively predictable now, can take another course. The reason is that citizens very often violated the anti-coronavirus restrictions during Easter holidays. In the first half of Easter, police officers often encountered gatherings of large groups of people, drinking alcohol in public, and people wearing masks on their necks and not covering their mouth and nose.
According to Deputy Minister of Health Roman Prymula, people during Easter holidays seemed to respond to the quite positive progress of the epidemic in the Czech Republic. Apparently, people noticed that the curve of newly confirmed cases became quite favourable and that the phase of mass spread of the disease has been stopped. Unfortunately, a large number of people understood that as a sign of safety and started to behave in a usual non-restrictive manner.
Therefore, the increase in confirmed COVID-19 cases is possible, even though the daily number of performed tests slowly decreases. The effects of Easter holidays might be reflected in the number of people with a confirmed infection after the next weekend.
Provided that the described scenario will not happen, the re-opening of business activity will take place in five waves.
From Monday, April 20:
- Crafts with premises
- Farm markets
- Pre-owned cars sales and car showrooms
- Outdoor training activities of professional athletes in smaller groups under specific conditions
- Weddings up to 10 people under specific hygienic conditions
From Monday, April 27:
- All premises up to 200 m2 unless situated in shopping malls over 5000 m2 (excluding premises that are going to be re-opened in next waves)
From Monday, May 11:
- All premises up to 1000 m2 unless situated in shopping malls over 5000 m2 (excluding premises that are going to be re-opened in next waves)
- Driving schools
- Gyms and fitness centres without using showers and changing rooms
From Monday, May 25:
- Outside seating of restaurants, pubs, cafeterias, cafes, wine shops, pubs (the condition of sale through the dispensing window still applies)
- Barbershop, hairdresser, pedicures, manicures, solariums and services of cosmetics, massages, regeneration and recuperation
- Museums, galleries, and exhibition halls
- Zoo (excluding indoor pavilions)
From Monday, June 8:
- All premises in shopping malls
- Premises over 1000 m2 that are not situated in shopping malls
- Indoor spaces of restaurants, cafeterias, pubs, wine shops, cafes, pubs
- Hotels and other accommodation services (including their restaurants and cafes)
- All taxis
- Tattoo and piercing salons
- Theatres, chateaux, castles and other cultural events under specific conditions
- Mass events with a graduated number of participants
- Cultural, social and sports events up to 50 people
- Recovery and related events for children up to 15 years of age
- Loosening measures in tourism
- Weddings under specific hygienic conditions
- Zoo (including indoor pavilions)
During June:
- Other business activities will be allowed depending on the epidemiological situation.
Already opened business activities:
The restriction of business activity is in effect until the cancelation of state of emergency. The list of business, stores and establishments allowed to be open since the beginning of the state of emergency or meanwhile given exception follows. The already introduced exceptions apply for shops selling:
- Food
- Fuel
- Hygiene products, cosmetics and other drug store goods
- Pharmacies, shops and dispensaries of medical devices
- Small pets
- Pet food and other supplies
- Glasses, contact lenses and related goods
- Newspapers and magazines
- Tobacco products
- Laundry and dry cleaner services
- Repair of vehicles, provided there is no more than 30 persons in the establishment at the same time
- Towing and removing faults on vehicles in traffic
- Sale of spare parts for vehicles and production technologies
- Establishments enabling collection of goods and shipments by third-party
- Sale of gardening supplies including seeds and seedlings
- Ticket sales
- Spa facilities, provided that only spa services which are covered at least in part from public health insurance are offered
- Funeral services
- Flower shops
- Construction of buildings and their removal, design activities in construction, geological work, land surveying, testing, measurement and analysis in construction
- Sale of textile material and haberdashery
- Service of computer and telecommunication equipment, audio and video receivers, consumer electronics, devices and other household products
- Real estate mediation and activities of accounting advisors, bookkeeping, keeping tax records
- Locksmithery and other household products services
- Repair, maintenance and installation of household machinery and equipment
- Services of cemeteries, embalming and preservation, cremation of human remains
- Car washes
- Sale of household items, provided that respiratory protective equipment such as a respirator, surgical mask, face mask, scarf or other means of preventing the spread of droplets, gloves or disinfection can be purchased at the establishment
- Collection and purchase of raw materials and composting plants, provided that the sale of such goods or services make a major part of business of that establishment
- Hobbymarket establishments
- Stores selling building and construction products and hardware stores
- Sale and bicycle services
- This prohibition does not apply to activities that are not a trade under the Trade Licensing Act
- This prohibition also does not apply to the sale of food in establishments for which the sale of food does not make a major part of the establishment's activities, but the part of the establishment in which food is sold is separated from other parts of the establishment