Press Advisories

6. 3. 2020 19:34

Czech citizens returning from Italy must go into quarantine, the state will arrange possible compensation for employers

: Zástupci vlády jednali ve Strakově akademii s krajskými hejtmany a pražským primátorem o opatřeních proti šíření koronaviru, 6. března 2020.

All Czech citizens returning from a stay in Italy will have to spend two weeks after their return in quarantine. Based on the current spread of the Sars-CoV-2 coronavirus, the Ministry of Health has issued an appropriate relevant legal measure. On Friday, 6 March 2020, this approach was agreed by members of the government with the regional governors, at a meeting at the Straka Academy.

With effect from Saturday 7 March 2020, people resident in the Czech Republic and returning from Italy must immediately check in with their GP following their return to the Czech Republic, by telephone or other remote means, avoiding personal contact. GPs must then make a decision on quarantine, which will be for two weeks. Based on the Public Health Protection Act Minister of Health Adam Vojtěch has issued the present legal measure valid until further notice (in Czech language).

People who feel healthy and wish to continue working while under quarantine may ask their employer to allow them to work from home. Prime Minister Andrej Babiš called on employers to work with their employees in this extraordinary situation. The members of the government who were available agreed on this measure at a meeting with the Chief Hygienist and representatives of the regional self-governing authorities.

“We have evaluated the situation and agreed on this measure in view of the significant spread of Covid-19 in Italy, where there are some four thousand cases, and the fact that the larger number of those infected in the Czech Republic were infected while in Italy," said Andrej Babiš. According to available information, there are presently about 16,500 Czech citizens staying in Italy.

“Quarantine primarily means separating a healthy person from other persons in order to prevent the transmission of an infectious disease at a time when the disease could spread. Under the Public Health Protection Act a fine is possible of up to three million crowns for breach of quarantine,” said Prime Minister Babies. If the disease is diagnosed, the general practitioner has the right to extend the quarantine for a further 14 days. Those in quarantine are entitled to sickness benefits.

Through the Czech postal service, the state will also distribute information leaflets to 4.7 million households and the government will prepare the conditions for reimbursing employers for losses incurred in connection with the announced emergency measures, through the Czech-Moravian Guarantee and Development Bank. It will also arrange information spots on nationwide television.

Government representatives have agreed with the regional governors on more specific ways of communicating with each other, for example in the form of video conferences, and have discussed the issue of government-mandated central purchasing, through the Ministry of Health, of face masks and disinfectants, and of their subsequent distribution.

The current situation will be discussed again on Monday morning at an extraordinary meeting of the State Security Council convened by Prime Minister Babiš.