Czech Republic to make face masks mandatory at indoor locations and on public transport from September 1

The Czech Republic will re-introduce some of its measures to curb the spread of coronavirus from September 1, Health Minister Adam Vojtěch has announced this afternoon following a meeting of the Government Council for Health Risks.

From September 1, face masks will once become mandatory on all public transport vehicles. Currently, masks are only mandatory on the metro system in Prague; from next month, however, masks will become mandatory on trams and buses as well.

Additionally, face masks will also become mandatory at indoor locations including shops and shopping centers, post offices, and public events, regardless of the number of participants.

“We have decided to introduce the obligation to wear face masks in all means of public transport in the Czech Republic from September 1, 2020, including intercity connections,” Vojtěch stated.

“It will also be mandatory to wear face masks at indoor locations, such as shops, malls, post offices, and government offices. And at indoor mass events, regardless of the number of participants. It will also apply to the common interiors of schools, but not within individual classes, ”

Full details on which locations will require a mask should be made available shortly.

“At the moment, we do not assume that this applies to restaurants,” said Vojtěch, referring to the face mask requirement.

Additionally, it should not apply to office spaces or similar locations at which the same people repeatedly meet each other, and do not meet outsiders.

“We want to place [the requirement] where it makes the most sense,” Vojtěch added.

The requirement to wear a mask indoors will also apply in schools, but not within individual classrooms; i.e., students will need to wear a mask while traveling throughout the school, but not while attending classes.

According to Vojtěch, the move has been taken as a precautionary measure to coincide with the beginning of the new school year.

“If we look at a number of studies, it turns out that virus transmission is declining sharply [over time],” Prymula stated.

“It is strongest before we have symptoms. This means that about two days prior to symptoms, people are maximally infectious, then it decreases. By the eighth or ninth day, it is practically zero. After the tenth day, it is practically impossible for a person to become infected upon contact.”