According to the opposition’s team of experts, consisting of ODS, KDU-ČSL, and TOP 09 members, the new lockdown in the Czech Republic is illogical. Specifically, the decision to close fitness centers, museums, and galleries is not rational.
The team asks the Minister of Health Jan Blatný to publish the risk index. The fitness centers, museums, and galleries will be closed from this Friday since the Czech Republic is returning to the fourth stage of the PES system.
Experts state that the risk index for supermarkets is higher than for fitness centers, museums, or galleries.
“We believe that the new wave of widespread restrictions does not take into account the risk of virus transmission in a given category of establishments,” adds the team.
However, some of the exhibitions will stay open if they are financed by foreign loans or unlikely to be repeated soon. The exhibitions, such as “Kings of the Sun” and “Rembrandt: Portrait of a Man” have already received an exception, as stated by the Minister of Culture Lubomír Zaorálek.
According to the Czech Chamber of Fitness, the losses during the second lockdown are on average 620 000 czk per one fitness center. As for the entire industry, the losses exceeded 750 million czk. Currently, the state support programs have helped three-quarters of fitness centers cover a maximum of 20 percent of losses.
According to Radim Šupka from the Delfín Sports Center, the last two weeks of openings didn’t help the economic situation: “After more than 4 months of closure, the situation for the fitness industry is already completely liquidated.” He added that the entrepreneurs can participate in the COVID rent and the ANTIVIRUS program for employees but it might not cover the full cost.
The Czech Fitness Chamber already asked the government to provide more funding for supporting the businesses. “We need significantly more, and above all, faster government assistance. Together with the Chamber of Commerce, we are preparing the basic parameters of the COVID sports ground program,” added Jana Havrdová, President of the Czech Fitness Chamber.
