Government discussed the regular testing of clients and employees of social care institutes, professional athletes can start training

Clients and employees of homes for seniors and the disabled, respite care and long-term care facilities will have to undergo regular testing for the Covid-19 disease. At the government meeting on Monday, 2 November 2020, the government approved their regular testing using antibody tests. It also passed a change to the crisis measures to enable training and, under strict conditions and the approval of hygienic stations, games for professional athletes.

From Wednesday, 4 November, regular testing will begin in the Czech Republic for clients and employees of organisations that provide long-term bed care or social services in homes for seniors and disabled persons, in homes with a special regime or those providing respite stays. These organisations have a week for the first round of tests, while further tests will continue in regular five-day intervals.

They will start using antibody tests; the health insurance companies will purchase the testing kits and also arrange their distribution. There should gradually be up to ten million tests available in the Czech Republic. The organisations also received precise instructions from the Ministry of Health on how to proceed in the case of infection. Their employees also have a newly-imposed obligation when working with patients or clients to use FFP2 or KN95 class respirators.

The government also decided to change the crisis measures on the ban of free movement and on the ban of retail sales (in Czech language) and services in order to permit the training and competition of professional athletes. This change will enable, for example, the restart of the top leagues in collective sports.

The cabinet also discussed the specific conditions for the subsidy programmes Covid – Tourism support and Agricovid – Food industry. The first of these, administered by the Ministry of Regional Development, is to help travel agencies, tour operators and tourist guides, who have lost customers and orders as a result of the coronavirus pandemic. The Ministry plans to divide up to 425 million crowns among these subjects. You can get more information on the subsidy programme at https://www.mmr.cz/cs/narodni-dotace/covid-podpora-cestovniho-ruchu (in Czech language). The Ministry of Agriculture will be launching the second programme to help the food and agriculture industries that have been affected by the closing of restaurants and other public eating establishments. There will be up to three billion crowns available here. More in the press release from the Ministry of Agriculture (in Czech language).

The government also noted the plan of the Ministry of Agriculture to help fishermen of the Czech Fishing Union for Ostrava with the liquidation of the consequences of the ecological accident that occurred on the Bečva River on 20 September of this year. The Ministry announced a new subsidy subtitle, thanks to which the North Moravian fishermen will obtain 750 000 crowns a year for a period of ten years for the new restocking of the Bečva River. For more details, see the press release at http://eagri.cz/public/web/mze/tiskovy-servis/tiskove-zpravy/x2020_ministerstvo-pomuze-rybarum-k-obnove.html (in Czech language).

The government also approved the announcement of agriculture subsidy programmes for the year 2021. The Ministry of Agriculture will have 3.8 billion crowns earmarked for them from the state budget and the programmes will follow those that ran in recent years. The framework programme for resolving risks and crises in agriculture will be new. It will be meant for the occurrence of damages caused by natural disasters, extraordinary events, adverse weather conditions and large industrial accidents. Its possible launch and financing will be approved by a government resolution. You can find details on the agriculture subsidies for next year in the press release from the Ministry of Agriculture (in Czech language).

The government also approved the proposal for an amendment to the Insolvency Act. The amendment reacts to the new European regulations in the area of insolvency. Its goal is to streamline and simplify the process of debt relief so that the road to a life without debt is quick and accessible. Shortening the discharge period from the current five to three years should help people escape a debt trap. The amendment should also strengthen the measures that will affect possible abuse on the part of dishonest debtors. More information in the press release from the Ministry of Defence (in Czech language).

The cabinet also approved the plan of the Ministry of Agriculture to strengthen water resources in the Olomouc, Přerov and Haná regions, long afflicted by drought. The state enterprise Povodí Odry will prepare an investment plan for the construction of a long-distance feeder, which would bring water from the Odra River basin, specifically from the Slezská Harfa water reservoir on the Moravice River, which has long shown an excess of water.

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