From today, Czech citizens and foreign nationals with permanent or temporary residence of over 90 days are again able to travel abroad, in necessary and clearly justified cases, such as business, visiting a doctor, or taking care of a family member. However, due to the spread of coronavirus, the borders remain closed and foreign nationals cannot enter the country. The police are checking and reporting people on their departure and return. Title photo: KK / For illustrative purposes.
Czech Rep., Apr 14 (BD) – “The general ban on travel has ended, it is now possible to go abroad to the doctor or the office, and the rules for cross-border commuters have been simplified,” announced the Ministry of Interior on Twitter.
Those crossing the Czech border, with some exceptions, will have to quarantine for 14 days.
24-hours to do your business
There will be no quarantine for people traveling abroad for less than 24 hours, for medical and emergency services personnel, or for farmers who travel into a neighboring country during the day for work. Citizens who visit their doctor or veterinarian, attend funerals, court hearings or other administrative authorities, or who travel for short-term family care, will not have to be quarantined. Those wishing to travel abroad must prove the reason for their trip. Details of exceptions were published on the Interior Ministry website.
If those leaving the country fail to return within 24 hours, they will need to undergo quarantine. It is possible to leave for more than 24 hours for essential matters that cannot be dealt with in the Czech Republic, such as to travel to work or on a business trip. “It is sufficient for a citizen to show an employment contract at the border,” said Klára Dlubalová of the Interior Ministry.
Dlubalová also listed a few examples of unnecessary travel: “It is not necessary, and therefore not possible, to travel abroad to go shopping, walk in a park, hike in the forest or stay at a summer house.”
Apart from the exceptions, everyone returning to the country from abroad is obliged to report their arrival to the Regional Hygiene Authority. People traveling to the Czech Republic are also obliged to report any symptoms of influenza to the doctor.
Foreigners with temporary or permanent residence
Since April 7th, foreigners with permanent or temporary residence over 90 days and family members of Czech and EU citizens that are repatriating to the Czech Republic must inform the embassy or consulate in advance of the date and means of repatriation (details in the Interior Ministry table).
When back in the country they cannot use public transport or taxi services (including Uber, etc.) to travel to their place of residence, the same rules as for returning Czech nationals.
Some others can also cross the Czech borders, including regular cross-border commuters and people transiting to other countries.
As of this morning, 131,000 people have been tested for Covid-19, with over 6,000 confirmed cases. Over 500 people have recovered and almost 150 have died having tested positive for the disease. The South Moravian Region has reported a total of 355 cases of Covid-19 patients.
