COVID-19 update: Preventive measures for companies - July 2021

Vaccinations

Vaccination of the population is currently underway, with people aged 16 and over eligible to be vaccinated from 4 June. Vaccinations from abroad should also be recognized, however only vaccines approved by the European Medicines Agency will be recognized. The government has prepared a technical system and vaccinations should be recognized from 12 July 2021.

Since 11 June, it has also been possible to vaccinate foreigners in the Czech Republic who do not have public health insurance in the Czech Republic or the EU and are long-term residents of the Czech Republic. Vaccination is carried out by selected vaccination centers and is paid for by those being vaccinated.

Non-infectious status

From 9 July, guidelines regarding the assessment of non-infectious people will be tightened. For people who receive two-dose vaccines, they are considered fully vaccinated 14 or more days after receiving the second dose. For people who receive single-dose vaccines, they are considered fully vaccinated 14 or more days after receiving the single dose. People are given one antigen test per week and two additional PCR tests per month paid for by public health insurance. A negative antigen test result proves non-infectious status for 72 hours. PCR tests are valid for seven days after collection.

Masks

Employees are now not required to wear masks in the workplace in some cases. If an employee performs an activity in one place without the presence of a person other than a colleague, the employee is now not required to wear a mask. However, due to the continued requirement to wear masks in public areas, it is still necessary to wear one, for example, when moving around the premises. All employers must continue to provide employees with sufficient respiratory protective equipment for each work shift if they come into physical contact with other people.

Restrictions on operations

As part of the roll-out, individual operations are being opened in phases. As of today, shops, catering establishments and sports venues can be opened, some with modified restrictions (limited number of customers, spacing, disinfection, etc). In this context, the support of companies in public finance, the Antivirus programme, is being phased out. As of June, only a part of the wage replacement allowance for quarantined employees was paid further.

Testing of employees

As of 1 July, mandatory testing of employees, which was originally stipulated by law, has been abolished. However, according to official interpretations published on the Ministry of Health website, employers may include on-site testing in their internal health and safety regulations and guidelines and OSH. However, this is a controversial conclusion from an employment law perspective, especially if employees refuse to participate in such testing. From this point of view, the application of the principle of voluntary testing is recommended.

Entering the workplace after returning from abroad

From 9 July, employees must prove their non-infectious status with a negative test after returning from abroad. The government has ordered employers and end users of workers to prevent employees returning from abroad from entering all business premises and workplaces unless they submit a negative test result or demonstrate that they are exempted from the test obligation due to being fully vaccinated, or if they have had COVID-19 in the previous 180 days.

For people traveling from low- or medium-risk countries, the test can be performed within five days after returning (however, this does not apply to people returning via public transport from medium-risk countries). In such cases, employees will only be allowed to enter the business premises and the workplace if they wear a respirator until the test is performed. For people returning from countries with a high and very high risk of infection, they are obligated to perform a PCR test between the 5 and 14 days after returning from abroad and they must self-isolate subsequently until the test result is available. However, this obligation does not apply to fully vaccinated people and people who have had COVID-19. For extreme risk countries, two PCR tests are required (the first within 24 hours after returning and the second between 10 and 14 days after returning) and self-isolation is also mandatory until the second test result is available.

Employees are also required to inform employers of journeys in excess of 12 hours, or 24 hours in the case of neighbouring countries, to countries with a low, medium, high, very high and extreme risk of COVID-19 infection.