page_title: COVID-19 pandemic in the Czech Republic
section_title: Week 16 (13–19 April)
hierarchical_section_title: COVID-19 pandemic in the Czech Republic / Timeline / Week 16 (13–19 April)
caption_attribution_description: English: Infographic for the official 5 step reopening plan (in Czech) as released by the Czech government
context_page_description: The COVID-19 pandemic in the Czech Republic is part of the worldwide pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2. The first three confirmed cases in the Czech Republic were reported on 1 March 2020. On 12 March, the government declared a state of emergency, for the first time in the country's modern history for the area of the entire country. On 16 March, the country closed its borders, forbade the entry of foreigners and issued a nationwide curfew. While originally planned until 24 March, the measures were later extended until 1 April and then again until the end of State of Emergency which was extended by the Chamber of Deputies until 30 April 2020 and then again until 17 May 2020.
  Some measures undertaken by the Czech Republic differed in key aspects from other countries. A general curfew was in place between 16 March and 24 April, however it included generous exemptions. Apart from the usual essential shopping and going to/from work, it also included visiting relatives and unrestricted movement in parks and open countryside.
context_section_description: 13 April – Number of COVID-19 tests sank from 8,000 a day to mere 3,200 a day during Easter weekend which included also Friday and Monday as state holiday. According to health authority, testing capacity during Easter weekend significantly surpassed demand for testing from potential patients. Health authority expected the demand to rise again in the following week.
  14 April – A month-long complete border closure ended (see policies section below). A large number of Czech Romanis started returning from particularly hit United Kingdom, where many lived for over 15 years, leading to fear of possible increase of COVID-19 infection.
  Hyundai factory in Nošovice, which makes 1,500 cars a day including Kona Electric, restarted production after three weeks pause. Ten days later, Government exempted Korean Hyundai "specialists and key workers" needed for ramp up of electric vehicle production from cross-border and quarantine restrictions. Manufacturing plants were unaffected by Government restrictions, however many had decided to close voluntarily.
  
  The Czech government outlines a five-step plan for re-opening shops, restaurants and other businesses. Each subsequent step will be triggered as planned only if the previous step has not resulted in a total of 400 new COVID-19 patients per day. 
  April 20: Farmers markets, tradesmen with shops, car shops and showrooms, outdoor athletic areas for professionals, without spectators, Weddings of up to 10 people following hygiene rules
  April 27: Shops under 200 square meters in size, except for those in shopping centers over 5,000 square meters and those specified to open at a later date.
  May 11: Shops under 1,000 square meters in size, except for those in shopping centers over 5,000 square meters and those specified to open at a later date, Driving schools, Gyms and fitness centers (but not changing rooms or showers)
  May 25: Outdoor areas of restaurants, cafes, pubs, buffets, wineries and beer shops with outdoor sales and garden seating areas, barbershops, hairdressers, nail salons, tanning salons, cosmetic salons, massage parlors, museums, galleries, and art halls, zoos (outdoor areas only)
  June 8: All shops in shopping centers, shops over 1,000 square meters in size outside of shopping centers, indoor areas of restaurants, cafes, pubs, buffets, wineries and beer shops, hotels and other accommodation providers (and their restaurants and cafes), taxi services, tattoo and piercing studios, theaters, castles, chateaux and other cultural activities according to the current regulations, mass events for a specified number of people, cultural, business, and sports events for less than 50 people, weddings following specific hygienic protocol, indoor areas of zoos
  The aforementioned timeline was not kept as government significantly accelerated lifting of restrictions in the following weeks, with most being lifted by 11 May.
caption: Infographic for the official re-opening plan (in Czech) as released by the Czech government
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