The Czech government will close non-essential shops, services and ski lifts and enforce a stricter curfew from Sunday as it seeks to curb another rise in Covid-19 infections and hospitalisations.
Health Minister Jan Blatny said the government approved moving the country onto the highest level of the government's risk index, triggering tighter restrictions that will largely lock down the country of 10.7 million during the holiday season.
Covid-19 infections have risen throughout December, coming after the government only just loosened restrictions at the beginning of the month after curbing one of Europe's biggest spikes in infections in October and November.