COVID-19

The Czech Republic has allowed squeezing an extra dose from COVID-19 vaccine vials supplied by Pfizer and BioNTech, taking advantage of an extra reserve amount put into the vials by the maker, the Health Ministry said.

The Czech lower house on Wednesday approved giving the government an extension of state of emergency powers to December 23, a shorter period than the cabinet sought as it looks to contain rising COVID-19 infections.

The Czech Republic confirmed 1,887 COVID-19 cases on Sunday, which is the lowest daily rise since October 5, according to the latest data that the Health Ministry released on its website today. The Czech Chamber of Doctors has called for the continued tightening of restrictions.

Two weeks following the shutdown of restaurants and cafes, which can now only operate through takeaway and delivery services, about 43 percent of businesses have remained in business since mid-September. Data from the cash register system provider, Dotykačka, shows that while sales from operating restaurants fell by about a fifth to a quarter, the overall decline in sales in the industry is about 70 percent.

The Czech Republic is imposing a new series of restrictive measures on restaurants in response to a record surge in coronavirus infections. From midnight on October 14, all restaurants, bars, and clubs will be closed until the end of the emergency.