Buy shoes and visit zoos: these shops and services are reopening on April 12

Shops with children's clothes and shoes and stationery stores will reopen in the Czech Republic on April 12, along with the planned return of children to primary school lower grades.

Farmers markets, dry cleaners, laundries, locksmiths, appliance repair shops, and shops selling car spare parts and machinery will also be allowed to open, the Czech government decided at its Tuesday afternoon meeting. Deputy Prime Minister Karel Havlíček informed the Czech News Agency (ČTK) of the developments and also sent out a tweet.

The government also approved the reopening of the outdoor premises of zoos and botanical gardens, which have been closed since Dec. 18, 2020. These venues may open as of April 12, but can only fill up to 20 percent of their capacity.

Last spring, during the first wave of the coronavirus epidemic, zoos and botanical gardens were closed from March 13 until April 27 and during the second wave again between Oct. 9 and Dec. 2 and then since mid-December until now.

No announcements were made regarding the reopening of restaurants. Currently, only delivery and takeaway service can be offered, and people are not supposed to drink alcohol in public spaces.

Most stores and services have been closed due the state of emergency in the Czech Republic, but that will expire on April 11, and the government will not seek to renew it. Instead, they will rely on pandemic laws for the authority to regulate what can and cannot be in operation. The ban on travel between districts and the nighttime curfew will also be lifted.

Currently only selected shops including grocery stores, drugstores, pharmacies, opticians, florists, and pet stores can be open in accordance with the current coronavirus measures.

This is a developing story.