Czechs tighten arrival conditions for New Year’s celebrations

PRAGUE (Reuters) – The Czech Republic will require all foreigners visiting the country to have a negative PCR coronavirus test prior to entry starting from Dec. 27, unless they had a booster vaccine dose, Health Ministry said on Thursday.

The measure is aimed at limiting the spread of the Omicron coronavirus variant during New Year’s celebrations, the ministry said.

The central European country has recorded just dozens of Omicron case while recovering from the latest wave of the Delta variant of the virus.

Prague, usually a popular destination for New Year’s parties with crowds drinking in bars and in the streets, will allow celebrations to go ahead this year after a state of emergency that closed pubs at 10 p.m. expires on Dec. 25.

A maximum of 50 people will be allowed to gather for events after Dec. 29, except for seated audiences at theatres or other cultural venues. Restaurants will have to limit the number of guests seated at one table to four persons.

(Reporting by Robert Muller; Editing by Sonya Hepinstall)