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According to the Czech health minister Jan Blatný, three people are currently being examined in the hospital under suspicion of having a mutated variant of COVID-19. All three of these people recently visited Zanzibar off the coast of Tanzania.  “In three people from the Czech Republic, we suspect an infection with a new type of coronavirus; the so-called South African mutation. The samples are now in the National Reference Laboratory and sequencing is being done for confirmation. These are people who have returned from Zanzibar.” The South African mutation, scientifically known as Variant B.1.351, hasn’t yet been discovered in the Czech Republic. However, the British mutation, or E484K, has been in the country for some time now. According to RenéContinue Reading

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Before the spring of 2020, working from home was considered a massive advantage that many people strived for. Months later though, it has mostly become just a standard thing with its own pros and cons, and perhaps not the luxury it was once perceived as.  Representatives from Czech survey company Survio told Novinky about data they’re collecting regarding the home office trend. “We certainly can’t refer to the home office as being a luxury anymore. Currently, most Czechs who are able to work like this due to the nature of their jobs consider it a routine and a necessity,” Lucie Černá from Survio said. Černá says that many people are missing out on casual social interactions with their co-workers, andContinue Reading

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A report from the Czech Psychiatric Society suggests that up to 20% of people who have contracted the coronavirus eventually experience depression and/or insomnia after the virus has left their body.  Martin Anders, vice-president of the CPS and head of the Psychiatric Clinic at General University Hospital, said that he observed this phenomenon with his patients, as well as himself.  “The reports show that up to 20% of those who have contracted COVID-19 experience psychological problems. Most often its anxiety, depression, or sleep disorders.”  “I’ve noticed it myself. After I had COVID-19, I went through 2 weeks of complete insomnia.” Anders says that COVID-19 causes a spike in the immune system that releases cytokine proteins, which are the likely causeContinue Reading

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Milan Kubek, president of the Czech Medical Chamber, penned a letter to Prime Minister Andrej Babiš and Minister of Health Jan Blatný urging them to tighten COVID-19 restrictions before it’s too late. Kubek argues that another wave of COVID-19 cases in the Czech Republic, which has potentially already started, could overwhelm hospitals and result in thousands of unnecessary deaths. He says that the only reason the country survived the summer was because of the quick strict action of the government, something was absent during the autumn onslaught of cases. “Thanks to the quick and decisive reaction of the government (in the summer), who, at the time showed great courage in taking tough and effective anti-epidemic measures, we managed to getContinue Reading

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On Wednesday, as many as 23 restaurants, cafés, and similar food facilities declared they’ll remain open until 10 pm in protest against the COVID-19 measures imposed on small businesses. The protest came following the change in regulations ordering the restaurants (and other food entities) to close at 8 pm from Wednesday. According to restaurant owners, they are protesting this move because they are being punished for the government’s inability to meet their epidemiological goals. At the same time, they believe that restaurants were not open for enough time to somehow negatively influence the situation. “The government has thrown pubs, bars, culture, and services overboard. The Czech Republic is not a dictatorship! From now on, we will defend our rights,” saidContinue Reading

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Less than a week after the easing of COVID-19 related measures, the government decides to re-evaluate some of them, once again. While the general tightening of the restrictions is not expected, the government did enforce new rules on restaurants and similar entities. Despite the fact that the Czech Republic remains on the third level of PES, which allows restaurants, cafes, and other services to function normally until 10 pm, the government decided to shorten their serving time by two hours. According to the minister of Health, both customers and business owners are constantly violating the measures. “It’s even about setting up the so-called heated tents by the windows. There are crowded bars, food and alcohol consumption in public and atContinue Reading

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It seems like the shops might close without getting to enjoy serving customers. If on Tuesday the PES level remains above the value of 60, the Czech Republic will come back to the fourth (red) level of danger according to PES, which will mean the return of the night curfew and closure of the restaurants, shops and other services. The PES level remained at 57 (third, orange level of danger) for 13 days, but from Saturday, it rose above 60, corresponding to the fourth degree. As of Monday, the Czech Republic is at the PES value of 64 – in the red zone, according to the Ministry of Health. Since the government has the right to tighten the measures underContinue Reading