Masked people in Prague on March 31, 2021. – Vit Simanek / AP / SIPA
This is a new sign of health improvement in Europe. The Czech Republic announced on Monday that it wanted to reopen its borders to nationals of EU countries and to Serbs on June 21.
Travelers will need to present a negative test, proof of vaccination or past infection with the coronavirus in order to enter the country. Similar arrangements were already in place for German, Austrian, Croatian, Hungarian, Polish, Slovak and Slovenian citizens.
Fewer restrictions for culture and education
The government also increased the gauge for cultural events on Monday to 1,000 people indoors and 2,000 outdoors. It further authorized schoolchildren and their teachers to no longer wear masks in most parts of the country.
At the start of the year, the Czech Republic led the number of infections and deaths reported to the population. This member country of the European Union of 10.7 million inhabitants has recorded 1.66 million cases of Covid-19, and 30,164 deaths to date. But the number of new daily contaminations has fallen, and is now less than 500 for a week. Shops, restaurants, cinemas, theaters and concert halls reopened several weeks ago, but restrictions such as the requirement to wear a mask are still in effect.