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A number of measures came into effect in the Czech Republic on Thursday as part of the government’s efforts to curb the spread of the new coronavirus. It is now compulsory to cover one’s mouth and nose anywhere in public while food retailers and pharmacists are only permitted to serve customers aged 65 or over between 10 am and noon every day. Spa facilities have been barred from accepting new clients.

On Thursday early evening the number of registered cases of the Covid-19 disease had climbed to 694. A number of people are in a serious condition and three have recovered. Over 9,400 tests have been carried out.

The head of the Central Crisis Staff, Roman Prymula, says he expects restrictive measures to remain in place in the Czech Republic for around a month. He said the closure of the country’s borders was likely to continue for longer as long as other countries had not dealt with the situation surrounding the coronavirus.

The Czech government has approved a ban on going out anywhere in public while not wearing a surgical mask or covering one’s nose and mouth with a scarf, the news site iRozhlas.cz reported, citing the minister of foreign affairs, Tomáš Petříček. The measure is due to come into effect from midnight on Wednesday.

The minister of health, Adam Vojtěch, confirmed the move on Twitter, writing that all citizens had to protect themselves and their surroundings.

A number of Czech regions, including Prague, had already brought in compulsory mouth and nose covering on public transport and in other places.

Many Czechs have been producing homemade masks due to a shortage in shops. The government says that they should become available to the public following a large shipment next weekend.

The government has also ordered that all shops only serve customers aged 65 and over between 10 am and noon. That provision comes into effect on Thursday.

As of Wednesday at 2 pm there were 464 registered cases of Covid-19 in the Czech Republic. Three people are in a serious condition and three have recovered.

The head of the Czech League Football Association, Dušan Svoboda, says he welcomes the decision to postpone the next European Football Championship. Mr. Svoboda said the move meant more maneuvering space to conclude the current domestic league season, which has been suspended. He said it was a signal that the competition could be concluded on the pitch, not around a table.

Football’s governing body in Europe, UEFA, has delayed the competition, which had been due to take place this summer in several European countries, until 2021.

A Czech Army plane carrying 150,000 rapid test kits for the new coronavirus arrived at Prague’s Kbely airfield in the early hours of Wednesday. Some of the test kits are intended for residents of places that have been cut off due to a high incidence of Covid-19, the minister of health, Adam Vojtěch, said. Others will be supplied to large hospitals or will be used to screen police officers, soldiers and fire fighters.

The Czech authorities are expecting deliveries of further medical supplies from China in the coming days, primarily respirators, surgical masks and protective clothing.

The minister of the interior, Jan Hamáček, says 30 million face masks should be delivered on Sunday. These will also be available to the public.