The British Embassy in Prague has warned expats that the UK is a “high risk” destination for coronavirus after the Czech Republic announced plans to allow travel to European countries.
On Monday, the Czech government said it would begin to ease restrictions on travel to and from countries in the EU and Schengen Area from 15 June.
The embassy said countries in Europe had been divided into three categories of risk, with the UK being one of only two countries to be designated as high risk, alongside Sweden.
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“Czechs and foreigners with residency in the Czech Republic will not have to present a negative coronavirus test after returning from countries with low and medium risk after 15 June,” the embassy said.
“Foreigners arriving from medium and high-risk countries will still have to submit a negative test upon entering the Czech Republic or self-isolate for two weeks.”
The Czech Republic has reported 9,308 confirmed cases of Covid-19 so far, with 321 deaths, according to the Johns Hopkins Coronavirus Resource Centre, putting it among the least badly-affected countries in Europe during the pandemic.
Although the country’s government has already removed most lockdown measures, with restaurants and hotels fully reopened on 25 May, the tourism industry has continued to suffer due to restrictions.
Adam Vojtech, the Czech minister of health, said the government had been able to make this week’s changes to travel restrictions due to the “favourable epidemiological situation” in the country, with less than 100 new coronavirus cases reported each day for most of May.
Meanwhile, the UK has reported about 2,000 new confirmed Covid-19 cases a day over the past week.
The classification of the UK as a “high risk” area came after the British government announced it would be introducing a 14-day self-isolation period for people entering the country from 8 June.
The move has been criticised by airlines which have warned the quarantine policy will stifle the aviation industry.
On Monday, British airlines sent the government a list of 45 nations that they want to see exempt from the measures, including key European summer holiday locations such as Greece, Italy and Spain.
Additional reporting by Reuters
