News: Thursday, July 1st, 2021

Czech Covid reproduction number at highest level since February

The Covid reproduction number – the average number of people infected by one person with the virus – has climbed to 1.2 in the Czech Republic. This is its highest level since the end of February, at one of the worst periods since the coronavirus hit the country last year.

The reproduction number has been rising for five days in a row and on Wednesday breached 1:0, which signifies accelerated spread of the virus.

More positive tests are also being recorded, with the figures for Tuesday and Wednesday almost 50 percent higher than for the same days last week.

Czechs must show Covid certificate on entering Croatia

Czech tourists arriving in Croatia now need to show a valid EU digital Covid certificate at the country’s border, the Czech minister of foreign affairs, Jakub Kulhánek, said on Thursday. Before this overnight decision by the Croatian authorities, Czechs were able to travel there without restriction in recent weeks.

However, previously agreed conditions still apply, said Mr. Kulhánek. This means Czechs may enter Croatia 22 days after a first dose of coronavirus vaccine, or if they can prove a negative Covid test or that they have had the virus.

Croatia has traditionally been an extremely popular destination for Czech holidaymakers.

Covid-19: vaccination campaign opens to over-12s

Anyone over the age of 12 can register to get vaccinated against Covid-19 as of Thursday, the same day Hungarian Foreign Minister Péter Szijjártó is in Prague to present a gift of 100,000 Pfizer/BioNTech doses to the Czech Republic.

The European Medicines Agency in May approved the use of the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine for children aged 12 and over while other brands are undergoing testing. An estimated 456,500 children aged 12 to 15 can now register for the jab, according to the Czech Statistical Office.

However, the Society of General Practitioners for Children is concerned that adults – especially those reluctant or unwilling to have themselves vaccinated – will not register their children.

Zeman defends ex-MP investigated by police over sexual misconduct

The Czech president, Miloš Zeman, has defended Domink Feri, who stepped down as an MP with the TOP 09 party after he was accused of sexual impropriety.

Mr. Zeman said he had the same view of the matter as ex-TOP 09 leader Karel Schwarzenberg, who said it had always been considered normal for a 25-year-old man to try to get girls into bed.

Media outlets carried testimonies from a number of women who said that Mr. Feri had had sex with them without their consent. Police are investigating the matter.

Living standard of Czech households unchanged since pandemic

The living standard of Czech households is virtually the same as prior to the coronavirus pandemic, according to an index run by the STEM polling agency and financial advisory company KPMG.

While the country was hardest hit in terms of the epidemic in the first quarter of this year, assessments of household living standards have improved markedly on last year, the long-term study of household finances found.

By contrast, the perception of the Czech economic situation has deteriorated compared to in 2020.

Online grocers Rohlik now valued at EUR 1 billion

The Czech online grocery delivery company Rohlik said on Thursday that it had raised EUR 100 million from investors. The firm’s valuation is now EUR 1 billion.

This round of investment comes only three months after Rohlik raised EUR 190 million from investors to expand into Germany. The company, founded by Tomáš Čupr, had already been active in the Czech Republic, Hungary and Austria.

Czech fans drop plan to charter plane to Baku for Denmark game

Czech fans have abandoned a plan to charter a plane to Baku in Azerbaijan to see the Czech Republic play Denmark in the quarter-finals of the European Football Championship on Saturday. The national team’s fan club said that in the end two few supporters were willing to go to Baku, despite around 300 having previously expressed interest.

The Czech Ministry of Health had called on fans to stay home, pointing out that it considers Azerbaijan as a very high risk state as regards Covid-19.

Tennis: four more Czech women, one man advance to Wimbledon second round

At the grass tennis tournament in Wimbledon on Wednesday, four Czechs survived the first round in the women’s singles. They are Karolína Muchová, Kristýna Plíšková, Kateřina Siniaková and Markéta Vondroušová. Their compatriot Jiří Veselý also advanced to the second round.

For Plíšková, it was her first victory in a Grand Slam tournament after 11 defeats in a row. She beat Australian Astra Sharma in three sets with 3: 6, 6: 4 and 6: 4.

Barbora Krejčíková, Tereza Martincová and Karolína Plíšková had already reached the second round on Tuesday. Only Marie Bouzková and, surprisingly, the two-time Wimbledon winner Petra Kvitová have been eliminated from the Czech side.

Weather forecast

It should be mainly overcast in the Czech Republic on Friday, with an average high temperature of 20 degrees Celsius. Temperatures will climb over the following days, reaching the 30s Celsius by Wednesday.