Czech weekend news in brief: top stories for Feb. 21, 2021
PES scores remains at 75, Babiš challenges plan to return students to schools, some Prague districts to distribute free respirators, and more weekend news
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COVID-19 risk index stays at 75, reproduction number 1.19
The Czech PES COVID-19 risk index has remained at 75 points out of 100 today, narrowly within the second highest degree (61-75) data from the Health Ministry shows this morning. The reproduction number has remained at 1.19.
Out of the four indicators the risk index is calculated from, three have been rising recently. Apart from the reproduction number, they are the average number of new infections per 100,000 inhabitants in the past two weeks, and the average number of new cases among seniors. The average number of new infections per 100,000 inhabitants over the past two weeks rose to 1,103 today, up from 1,086 on Saturday.
The Czech Republic will reopen the first and second grades of elementary schools on Nov. 18 as the latest data show a drop in new coronavirus cases in Europe's worst-hit country in the second wave, Education Minister Robert Plaga said on Wednesday.
By Reuters Staff
2 Min Read
PRAGUE (Reuters) - The Czech Republic will reopen the first and second grades of elementary schools on Nov. 18 as the latest data show a drop in new coronavirus cases in Europe’s worst-hit country in the second wave, Education Minister Robert Plaga said on Wednesday.
FILE PHOTO: A teacher prepares school supplies inside an empty classroom at a closed school in Prague, Czech Republic, October 14, 2020. REUTERS/David W Cerny
The country of 10.7 million has struggled to avoid overwhelming its hospitals after recorded daily infections jumped to a peak of over 15,000 in recent weeks and its infection rate led European countries on a per-capita basis.
All teachers, including those from kindergartens and special needs schools will be added to the specially selected groups intended for priority access to the COVID-19 vaccine, Education Ministry spokeswoman Aneta Lednová wrote after a joint meeting between Education and Health Ministry representatives on Wednesday.
The announcement follows criticism of the current government vaccination strategy by Education Minister Robert Plaga, who said that it was insufficient to only have primary school teachers on the priority list.