Despite being positive for COVID-19, medical staff in the Czech Republic are allowed to go to work

… will be set up to ensure that nearby workers are not at risk of infection.

Prague (Andara) – The Czech government on Friday (14/1) said that the Czech government will allow medical and social service workers to have COVID-19 until they develop symptoms.

The new rules are less ambitious than previously planned by the government.

Those who can still go to work should only go to work and go home immediately after work.

Health Minister Vlastimil Valek said they should wear masks and eat in separate rooms.

The health minister estimates that only a few hundred workers will be eligible under the new rule, which will be used only when needed.

“Measures will be taken to ensure that nearby workers are not at risk of infection,” Valek said.

Earlier, the Czech government said it had compiled a list of more essential sectors whose workers would fall under the scheme.

Teams identified at the time included emergency services, police and energy department officials.

The move by the Czech Republic is the latest policy to ease restrictions imposed on Europe.

Regionally, countries are struggling to operate services amid an increase in COVID-19 cases due to the highly infectious variant of Omicron.

Health Minister Valek told reporters that the government hopes to curb the Omicron wave.

This variation has led to an increase in daily new infections in recent days, to over 10,000 cases.

Meanwhile, the Czech government has ordered a COVID-19 test in schools. Beginning Monday (17/1), all workers will be required to undergo two COVID-19 tests per week.

Valek estimates that the number of daily cases will rise to 20,000 by the beginning of next week and 50,000 by the end of the week.

The number of COVID-19 patients being treated in hospitals dropped to 1,912 as of Thursday (13/1), according to data from the Ministry of Health.

Valek reiterated that the government has a strategy to slow the spread of the Omigran variant among the population and to prevent hospitals from overcrowding.

Source: Reuters
read more: Omigron is the dominant variant in the Czech Republic
read more: The Czech Republic has said it suspects the omigron variant of the Covit-19
read more: The Czech Republic is registering the highest number of daily Govt patients since May

Translator: Thea Mutiyasari
Author: Atman Ahdiat
Copyright © ANTARA 2022