Dear foreign friends,
Some of you ask me about the situation in the Czech Republic / Europe so here is my view:
Czech parliament wanted to discuss state readiness for COVID-19 epidemy in January with the government. The majority of the population was thinking it is not a real problem including me and the Czech government (even they have probably better access to the crucial information than any of us).
The government did not discuss anything with anyone at that time.
Two weeks ago they waked up and took multiple actions.
According to me, the most important are:
1) Border enforcement with the army deployed at borders.
2) Restrictions on free movement (with important exemptions).
3) Surgical mask or any other mouth&nose cover mandatory outside home (inclusive work, own cars, etc.)
4) Mandatory self-quarantine for 14 days for anyone who gets in direct contact with the infected one.
5) Establishing cargo airlift between the Czech Republic and China, bringing respirators and test sets.
6) Definition special timing for necessary shopping for citizens over 65 yrs in order to separate the most vulnerable group.
I am not a big fan of this government due to wasting public money for nonsense and too many scandals of our prime minister, but I want to say that even they wasted two months which we had for advance preparation, they were able to act quickly.
As I see public response and discipline I am pretty sure that we are in a very good situation when compared with Germany or the UK.
The public is quite scared, but people very cooperative, helping each other widely:
Ladies making facemasks (now everyone is using them even two weeks ago no-one believed this).
3D printers owners making special tools for masks manufacturers for free of costs.
Universities helping hospitals with test loads.
Volunteers are doing shopping for anyone stuck home due to their age or quarantine.
Truck drivers doing their job keeping head cool getting stuck on borders for many hours, but ensuring there is no shortage of most of the items in stores.
Firemen, policemen, army..everyone gets great loads of stress in this new situation, but most overloaded are medical specialists already!
Doctors, nurses and other staff in hospitals doing already many over hours even everyone knows it is just beginning.
Many companies sent people home hoping that the situation gets better soon.
Tests are not yet plentiful and it pretty clear that there are much more infected in all countries.
https://medium.com/@VikramJ_IAS/india-corona-is-already-here-in-asymptomatic-youth-ac0c0cd84b49
My town Roznov pod Radhostem is one of the most affected. Many people from this area went for skiing to Italy and Austria, bringing infection home.
One of my living-apart family members is in self-quarantine because he was in direct contact with his doctor who was found positive for COVID-19.
Some parts of the country are in Regional quarantine, but luckily Roznov is not among them.
I was lucky and I was able to get 13pcs FFP2 respirators in the paint shop on Friday 13 (the last day it was open) and distributed it in the family.
Our families separated into living-apart cells rarely meeting each other and even in such cases only from distance or through the car window.
No one knows who carries the virus and being asymptomatic and we want to protect our grandparents. The paradox of this is that the elderly were among the most resistant against new rules which were set to protect them, but now everyone seems to understand and follow.
More details about development in the Czech Republic right here on Wikipedia.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2020_coronavirus_pandemic_in_the_Czech_Republic
I honestly think that western countries like Germany will take a lesson hard way.
Preparation time is over. I pray for all, but especially for my beloved India to act effectively like my country or Taiwan.
Some of you ask me about the situation in the Czech Republic / Europe so here is my view:
Czech parliament wanted to discuss state readiness for COVID-19 epidemy in January with the government. The majority of the population was thinking it is not a real problem including me and the Czech government (even they have probably better access to the crucial information than any of us).
The government did not discuss anything with anyone at that time.
Two weeks ago they waked up and took multiple actions.
According to me, the most important are:
1) Border enforcement with the army deployed at borders.
2) Restrictions on free movement (with important exemptions).
3) Surgical mask or any other mouth&nose cover mandatory outside home (inclusive work, own cars, etc.)
4) Mandatory self-quarantine for 14 days for anyone who gets in direct contact with the infected one.
5) Establishing cargo airlift between the Czech Republic and China, bringing respirators and test sets.
6) Definition special timing for necessary shopping for citizens over 65 yrs in order to separate the most vulnerable group.
I am not a big fan of this government due to wasting public money for nonsense and too many scandals of our prime minister, but I want to say that even they wasted two months which we had for advance preparation, they were able to act quickly.
As I see public response and discipline I am pretty sure that we are in a very good situation when compared with Germany or the UK.
The public is quite scared, but people very cooperative, helping each other widely:
Ladies making facemasks (now everyone is using them even two weeks ago no-one believed this).
3D printers owners making special tools for masks manufacturers for free of costs.
Universities helping hospitals with test loads.
Volunteers are doing shopping for anyone stuck home due to their age or quarantine.
Truck drivers doing their job keeping head cool getting stuck on borders for many hours, but ensuring there is no shortage of most of the items in stores.
Firemen, policemen, army..everyone gets great loads of stress in this new situation, but most overloaded are medical specialists already!
Doctors, nurses and other staff in hospitals doing already many over hours even everyone knows it is just beginning.
Many companies sent people home hoping that the situation gets better soon.
Tests are not yet plentiful and it pretty clear that there are much more infected in all countries.
https://medium.com/@VikramJ_IAS/india-corona-is-already-here-in-asymptomatic-youth-ac0c0cd84b49
My town Roznov pod Radhostem is one of the most affected. Many people from this area went for skiing to Italy and Austria, bringing infection home.
One of my living-apart family members is in self-quarantine because he was in direct contact with his doctor who was found positive for COVID-19.
Some parts of the country are in Regional quarantine, but luckily Roznov is not among them.
I was lucky and I was able to get 13pcs FFP2 respirators in the paint shop on Friday 13 (the last day it was open) and distributed it in the family.
Our families separated into living-apart cells rarely meeting each other and even in such cases only from distance or through the car window.
No one knows who carries the virus and being asymptomatic and we want to protect our grandparents. The paradox of this is that the elderly were among the most resistant against new rules which were set to protect them, but now everyone seems to understand and follow.
More details about development in the Czech Republic right here on Wikipedia.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2020_coronavirus_pandemic_in_the_Czech_Republic
I honestly think that western countries like Germany will take a lesson hard way.
Preparation time is over. I pray for all, but especially for my beloved India to act effectively like my country or Taiwan.