Breaking: Face masks now required at all Prague shops, offices under fine of up to 20,000 crowns

City regulations regarding face masks in public have been extended, and a fine of up to 20,000 CZK has been established for failure to comply. The requirement to wear masks is in response to the coronavirus.

The extended regulation applies to the wearing of respiratory protective equipment — such as a mask, scarf or respirator — during the movement of citizens through workplaces including shops and stores, health and social facilities, headquarters of public authorities and other premises.

The written regulation specifies work places, but that means all places where there are people working, and not just your own workplace. “It is also includes the supermarket or a train station. Just interior spaces. We will not extend the regulation to the outside ones yet,” Prague Mayor Zdeněk Hřib (Pirates) said.

The requirement to wear masks in public transit took effect March 17, and transit workers were allowed to eject passengers without masks, but there was no penalty. People were also urged to wear a mask in other places, and that has now become mandatory.

Most city district offices had already posted requirements for masks, but there is now a unified rule.

The city will notify people of the new rules over public address systems in public transit. Shop owners are expected to post signs.

According to the Crisis Staff, there will be four new stationary sampling points in Prague to be tested for the cornavirus. They will be located in the following locations: University Hospital Vinohrady (FNV), Strahov Stadium at the beginning of Zátopkova Street, the Industrial Palace in Výstaviště in front of the entrance, and the parking lot of Žluté lázně.