Elderly people take shopping carts in front of a supermarket in Prague, after the Czech government decided that food and drug stores and pharmacies should grant access only to senior citizens over age 65 between 10 a.m. and 12 p.m. to prevent the spread of coronavirus disease (COVID-19), Czech Republic, March 19, 2020. (File photo: Reuters)
The Czech government said Sunday it is easing measures imposed to contain the new coronavirus due to falling numbers of new confirmed cases.
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Health Minister Jan Blatny said all stores, restaurants and bars can reopen on Thursday and a ban on Sunday sales is lifted.
Restaurants can be open 6 a.m. to 10 p.m., though they are limited to 50 percent of their capacity. Stores and shopping centers also must limit the number of customers.
Hair salons, fitness centers and gyms are allowed to reopen, as are zoos, museums and galleries.
The Czech Republic was among the hardest hit by a new wave of infections in the fall, but the number of new cases has been on a decline since November 4.
The country of almost 10.7 million had 518,649 confirmed cases with 8,054 fatalities.
The day-to-day increase of new cases reached 2,667 on Saturday.
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