WE PLEASE NOTE the newly issued Methodical Instruction for ordering quarantine of isolation in connection with the covid-19 disease with effect from 17 January. 2022 – edu.cz

A confirmed case of covid-19

For the purposes of the epidemiological inquiry, according to the decision of the Ministry of Health of the Czech Republic (hereinafter referred to as the “MoH”), the following is considered a confirmed case of covid-19:

• a person who has undergone a positive RTS PCR test for SARS-CoV-2 virus;
• a person showing clinical signs of covid-19 who has undergone a rapid antigen test (RAT) for the presence of SARS-CoV-2 antigen with a positive result by a healthcare provider. A person with a positive RAT test is indicated for a confirmatory PCR test according to the valid emergency measure, however, from the date of delivery of a positive RAT test to the ISIN, he is ordered to be isolated and an epidemiological inquiry is initiated with this person. [1].
• The European Center for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) definition of covid-19 of 3 December 2020 is available at
• https://www.ecdc.europa.eu/en/covid-19/surveillance/case-definition

The European Center for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) definition of covid-19 of 3 December 2020 is available at https://www.ecdc.europa.eu/en/covid-19/surveillance/case-definition.

[1] For children under 15 years of age, a medical face mask is also considered an adequate respiratory protective device.

Epidemiologically significant contact

An epidemiologically significant contact is a person who has been in close contact with a confirmed case of covid-19 at any time during its possible infectivity, ie 2 days before:

• the appearance of the first symptoms of covid-19 in a confirmed case of covid-19;
• by taking a sample of the first test for the presence of SARS-CoV-2 virus or its antigen with a positive result in the case of an asymptomatic (asymptomatic) course of covid-19 in a confirmed case.

Epidemiologically important contacts are persons who:

• shares a common household with a confirmed case of covid-19;
• have any direct physical contact (kiss, hug, etc.) with a confirmed case of covid-19 without adequate respiratory protection ([1]respirator min. FFP2 without exhalation valve);
• work as a healthcare professional or other person caring for a confirmed case of covid-19 or laboratory worker handling the biological material of a confirmed case of covid-19 without the use of recommended personal protective equipment (hereinafter “PPE”) or with possible violation of PPE.
• have unprotected direct contact with infectious secretions of a confirmed case of covid-19 disease (coughing, sharing glasses, cutlery, cigarettes, etc.);
• in the indoor / outdoor area they had face-to-face contact with a confirmed case of covid-19 disease (interview, cigarette smoking, etc.) at a distance of less than 1.5 m (greater distance is not considered risky), when this contact lasted longer than 5 minutes or in the case of short-term multiple repeated contacts (this is not a flying contact), without the use of adequate personal protective equipment (respirator min. FFP2 without exhalation valve);
• share a common enclosed space (office, waiting room, classroom at school) with a confirmed case for at least 5 minutes and at a distance of less than 1.5 meters without the use of adequate respiratory protective equipment ([1] respirator min. FFP2 without exhalation valve);
• sitting two rows from a confirmed case (in any direction), are an escort or caregiver and crew members working in the sector of the aircraft where the index case sat (if the severity of symptoms or movement of the case indicates the possibility of more extensive exposure, close contact may be considered passengers seated throughout the sector or all passengers on board the aircraft). [2]

[1] For children under 15 years of age, a medical face mask is also considered an adequate respiratory protective device.

[2] It can be applied similarly in another long-distance means of transport.

Insulation regulation

In cases where the Regional Hygiene Station / Hygiene Station of the Capital City of Prague decides on measures to prevent the spread of covid-19 in the sense of § 2 paragraph 6 of Act No. 258/2000 Coll., On the protection of public health and on the amendment of some related acts, in wording of later legal regulations (hereinafter referred to as Act No. 258/2000 Coll.), shall order isolation for a minimum duration of 5 days:

• (a) a person with a positive RT-PCR test for SARS-CoV-2;
• (b) a person showing symptoms of covid-19 with a positive rapid antigen test (‘RAT test’) for the presence of SARS-CoV-2 antigen by a healthcare provider.

A confirmatory PCR test is indicated to a person with a positive RAT test result according to the valid emergency measure. However, from the date of delivery of the positive result of the RAT test to the ISIN, isolation is ordered, where the “day zero” of the ordered isolation is the day of taking a diagnostic sample whose examination (RAT test) proved the presence of SARS-CoV-2 virus antigen. It is considered “day zero” also the day of diagnostic sample collection in case of RT – PCR test.

Termination of insulation

In cases where the Regional Hygiene Station / Hygiene Station of the Capital City of Prague has ordered isolation to prevent the spread of covid-19 in the sense of Section 2, Paragraph 6 of Act No. 258/2000 Coll., On the Protection of Public Health and on Amendments to Certain Related Acts, as amended later legal regulations (hereinafter referred to as Act No. 258/2000 Coll.), the isolation in question will be terminated by:

• (a) a person who does not show clinical signs of covid-19 after at least 5 days from the date of the first positive test, without carrying out an RT-PCR test;
• (b) a person who, on the basis of a positive antigen test carried out by a health service provider, has undergone a confirmatory RTS PCR test with negative result and proves this, the isolation shall be terminated on that date on receipt of the negative RT result, PCR test for SARS-CoV-2 virus.
• (c) in a person showing clinical signs of covid-19, the isolation lasts for as long as the clinical signs of the disease occur and ends after at least 2 days when the person does not show clinical signs of covid-19 or the persistent clinical signs can be explained otherwise, the total time the isolation must not be less than 5 days from the date of the first positive test and is terminated without performing an RT-PCR test;
• d) a person whose isolation has been terminated is advised to wear a respirator min. class FFP2 without exhalation valve *, for the next 5 days from the end of isolation beyond the special respiratory protection measures.

Quarantine regulations

Regional Hygiene Station / Hygiene Station of the Capital City of Prague to prevent the spread of covid-19

• a) orders a person who has been found on the basis of an epidemiological inquiry as a person in epidemiologically significant contact with a confirmed case of covid-19, a quarantine measure in the sense of § 2 par. a), Act No. 258/2000 Coll. (kar quarantine ’) for a minimum of 5 days from the date of the last contact with a confirmed case of covid-19 or, in the case of persons living in the same household, for a minimum of 5 days from the date of the first positive sample in a confirmed case of covid-19. 19, where the “day zero” of the ordered quarantine is the day of the last contact with a confirmed case of covid-19 or, in the case of persons living in the same household, the day of the first positive sampling for a confirmed case of covid-19;
• b) the person with the ordered quarantine terminates the quarantine at the earliest after 5 days from the date of commencement of the quarantine according to Art. and); a person whose quarantine has been completed after 5 days monitors their health and is advised to wear a respirator min. FFP2 class without exhalation valve *, within 5 days of the end of quarantine beyond the emergency measures to protect the respiratory tract, in case of symptoms of covid-19 the person contacts their health care provider and undergoes RT-PCR test for SARS-CoV virus -2, in case of a positive result of this test, isolation according to Art. I. letter and);
• (c) order a person with a positive result in a rapid antigen test (RAT) to determine the presence of SARS-CoV-2 virus antigen for self-testing (lay use) carried out as part of the current emergency staff testing measure for a period of 5 days from the positive result test;
• (d) in the event that the person referred to in Article III (a) c) does not show signs of acute respiratory disease and has undergone, after a positive test, the presence of SARS-CoV-2 virus RT-PCR with a negative result, and proves this fact, the quarantine is terminated on the day of receiving a negative RT-PCR test for the presence of SARS-CoV-2 virus.

Issuance of a European certificate

A person with a positive result of a rapid antigen test is not issued an EU COVID digital certificate according to Regulation (EU) 2021/953 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 14 June 2021 (this certificate is issued only on the basis of RT-PCR testing).

MUDr. Pavla Svrčinová, Ph.D., Chief Hygienist, January 14, 2022

More links and information

Aforesaid Methodical instruction chief hygienists to order insulation quarantine (pdf) – made from 17. 1. 2022 and you can find it on the website Edu.cz (for COVID-19) also: