# Light at end of tunnel for Czech services as government drops COVID pass Author: Pal Sinha, Barnali Author URL: https://financedigest.com/author/pal-sinha-barnali Published: 2022-02-10 Category: NEWS Category URL: https://financedigest.com/category/news Meta Title: Czech Restaurants and Hotels See Hope as COVID Restrictions Meta Description: Czech hospitality industry sees hope as vaccination certificate rules are lifted, marking a return to normality after a tough pandemic period. URL: https://financedigest.com/light-at-end-of-tunnel-for-czech-services-as-government-drops-covid-passhtml ![undefined](https://prod.superblogcdn.com/site_cuid_cm5qst7v3003gwirgwqtxn8i8/images/2022-02-10t162937z1lynxmpei190ygrtroptp4health-coronavirus-czech-1736816250100-compressed.jpg) By Jiri Skacel PRAGUE (Reuters) – Czech restaurant and hotel operators saw light at the end of the tunnel on Thursday as the government cancelled rules requiring vaccination certificates to enter restaurants and events as Omicron infections started to ebb. Hotels and restaurants in Prague, a prime tourist destination, have suffered badly throughout the pandemic and now hope restrictions will not come back. “The relaxation means guests can come without any restriction or persecution, that’s of course welcome… This has been long for everyone, not just us in gastronomy but the entire society,” said Tomas Lachman, a manager at Oblaca Restaurant at Prague’s TV tower, 66 metres above the city. The Czech Republic is the latest [European country to ease](https://www.financedigest.com/european-shares-rise-on-easing-energy-supply-worries-draghi-speech-in-focus.html "European shares rise on easing energy supply worries; Draghi speech in focus") restrictions, as the government hopes the peak of the Omicron wave is over. Sweden lifted most restrictions on Wednesday. The country of 10.7 [million has suffered one of the world’s](https://www.financedigest.com/uk-gives-bbc-world-service-20-million-pounds-to-support-english-language-broadcasting.html "UK gives BBC World Service 20 million pounds to support English language broadcasting") highest death tolls per capita with 37,660 victims to date. Daily infections peaked at 57,232 on Feb. 1, falling to 29,059 on Wednesday. Enforcement of the vaccination certificate requirement has been weak and many pubs did not require guests to show them. Some actively refused to follow the rules. We were in a perverse situation where those who followed the rules suffered while those who didn’t [give a damn and even declared it openly were making money,”](https://www.financedigest.com/giving-women-the-power-to-make-money-and-take-control-of-their-destiny.html "Giving women the power to make money and take control of their destiny") said Tomas Prouza, head of a lobby group for commerce and tourism, welcoming the end of the system. “The numbers are going down, hospitals are not full, this is a time when we have to start living normally.” The number of people in hospital has still been going up, to 3,784 on Tuesday, but is far below peaks of over 9,000 in [March last year](https://www.financedigest.com/glastons-interim-report-1-january-31-march-2018-orders-received-grew-23-comparable-operating-profit-at-previous-years-level.html "Glaston’s Interim Report 1 January – 31 March 2018: Orders received grew 23%, comparable operating profit at previous year’s level"). The [number of patients in serious condition was at just over 10% of the peak](https://www.financedigest.com/australia-covid-numbers-hit-a-peak-as-omicron-outbreak-strains-domestic-politics.html "Australia COVID numbers hit a peak as Omicron outbreak strains domestic politics"). The government maintained a mask mandate indoors and on public transport, as well as limits to the size of [audiences at culture](https://www.financedigest.com/cultural-considerations-when-developing-websites-for-global-audience-reach.html "Cultural Considerations When Developing Websites for Global Audience Reach") and sports events. Mandatory regular [testing at schools and workplaces will end](https://www.financedigest.com/testing-waters-hungarys-central-bank-flags-cut-in-top-end-of-rate-corridor.html "Testing waters, Hungary’s central bank flags cut in top end of rate corridor") on Feb 18. Prime Minister Petr Fiala said on Wednesday that most [remaining restrictions](https://www.financedigest.com/factbox-britain-scraps-all-remaining-covid-19-restrictions.html "Factbox-Britain scraps all remaining COVID-19 restrictions") would be lifted from March. Katerina Joklova, general [manager at Vienna House Andel’s Prague Hotel](https://www.financedigest.com/the-advantages-of-hotel-management-companies-in-maximising-revenues.html "The Advantages of Hotel Management Companies in Maximising Revenues"), said it had an occupancy rate of 10-15% and any relaxation was welcome. It is certainly a light at the end of the tunnel, a sign that we are getting [back to normal life.”](https://www.financedigest.com/trump-charges-bring-new-york-zombie-case-back-to-life.html "Trump charges bring New York ‘zombie case’ back to life") (Reporting by Jiri Skacel, writng by Jan Lopatka; Editing by Nick Macfie) --- This blog is powered by Superblog. Visit https://superblog.ai to know more. ---