Government bans and exemptions effective from October 12, 2020 with an impact on business
In connection with the deteriorating epidemiological situation of Covid-19, the Government of the Czech Republic issued a set of crisis measures, with effect from 12 October 2020 from 00:00 to 25 October 2020 23:59, concerning in particular the gathering of persons and restrictions and performance of certain business activities.
Many prohibitions and restrictions again significantly affect many entrepreneurs when, for example, their activities are completely banned (e.g. concerts, theatre performances and other artistic performances and celebrations, the operation of casinos, fairs, congresses and other educational events) or restricted (operation of restaurants and shopping centres).
The key measure is the ban on all mass events of more than 10 people in the interiors of buildings and more than 20 people outside (Crisis measure of 8 October 2020, No. 996). Exceptions are household members, employees working for the same employer, persons jointly performing business or other similar activities or activities that persons are obliged to perform by law, while all persons covered by the exception must keep a mutual distance of 2 metres. That prohibition shall also not apply to meetings and assemblies of public authorities with a public participation not exceeding 100 persons, provided that a distance of at least 2 meters is observed and each person has a designated seating area in which he or she sits.
Public authorities are also ordered (Crisis measure of 8 October 2020, No. 994) to limit personal contacts with the public, and to this end they should give priority to written, electronic or telephone contact, receive all documents through the registry office and limit the scope of office hours for two days a week for five hours on a given day, at a time available to the public.
Restrictions on the operation of catering services are returning when operation for the public is prohibited from 20:00 to 06:00, with the exception of dispensing “windows” onto the street. In standard operation, the distances from the tables (1.5 m) and the limit of 4 customers at the table (with the exception of family members) must be observed. Operators have a limited operating capacity as to the number of seats, the current state of which they are also obliged to record in writing. It is also essential to ban the provision of wireless internet access.
Similar obligations also apply to large shopping centres (over 5,000 m2) and their food courts, where only 2 customers can sit at tables and the distance from other customers must be 2 meters. There is also a ban on providing wireless internet access. In addition, measures must be taken to prevent crowds from gathering inside shopping centres.
For all shops, groups of only 2 people with a spacing of 2 meters can circulate in them (except for children under 15 accompanying an adult from the same household).
The operation of universities, secondary schools, the second stage of primary education in primary school, primary art schools and language schools, leisure centres and school clubs is significantly limited (Crisis measure of 8 October 2020 No. 997), in compliance with hygienic measures according to the crisis measure.
In general, for all types of schools, with the exception of kindergartens and school facilities under the Education Act and universities, there is a ban on singing activities and sports activities are also prohibited as part of education.