Czech Ministry of Health explains its infection risk map, coming next week

The Ministry of Health will release the first map of the Czech Republic based on the epidemiological risk of particular districts next week, Rastislav Madar, the head of the ministry’s epidemiological working group, said today. The map will be updated each week.

The “traffic light” map will be divided into four risk degrees with grey, green, yellow, and red colors.

According to the current data on the rate of coronavirus infection, the highest degree (red light) would not be declared anywhere in the country, while the second-highest degree (yellow) would only apply to Prague and the green one to some districts in the Moravia-Silesia and Central Bohemia regions and to the Jihlava area in the Vysocina Region.

The regional public health stations would be authorized to assess the infection risk and take the necessary measures.

For the top risk level, officials would recommend residents avoid contact with others and limit traveling to absolutely necessary cases. Under certain circumstances, they would be recommended residents keep food and drug supplies for two weeks, Madar said. The operation of school facilities and religious and sports events would also be limited.

In terms of the second risk level, public health officers might limit the number of participants at public events and opening hours of various establishments and reserve beds in hospitals for the coronavirus infection cases. Employers should consider preventing contacts between employees working on particular shifts.

In the case of the green degree, visits to health and social care facilities would be restricted.

Czechia will be divided into districts and not regions, unlike how the Health Ministry originally planned, in a “traffic light” scenario for the assessment of the epidemiological situation.

Health Minister Adam Vojtech (ANO) said a region should not be assessed as one whole since mainly in large regions, the epidemiological situation in particular districts might differ very much.

The overall coronavirus epidemiological situation in the Czech Republic is good, as most districts have no just sporadic incidence of the new COVID-19 infections, according to the Health Ministry.

The current situation in Prague and in Moravia-Silesia, the areas with the highest infection incidence, has not led to any significant pressure on the healthcare facilities’ capacities.

People from risk groups and those with a severe COVID-19 course make up about 5 percent of all infected in Czechia.