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| Coronavirus: Czechs hold 'farewell party' for pandemic | |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| The World Health Organization (WHO) warned this week that the pandemic was not even close to being over, but in the Czech Republic, a party has been held to give the coronavirus a "symbolic farewell". | The World Health Organization (WHO) warned this week that the pandemic was not even close to being over, but in the Czech Republic, a party has been held to give the coronavirus a "symbolic farewell". |
| Thousands of guests sat at a 500 metre-long (1640ft) table on the Charles Bridge in Prague on Tuesday sharing food and drinks they had brought from home. | Thousands of guests sat at a 500 metre-long (1640ft) table on the Charles Bridge in Prague on Tuesday sharing food and drinks they had brought from home. |
| Guests were encouraged to share with their neighbours and there was no social distancing, something people in countries under lockdown will find hard to relate to. | Guests were encouraged to share with their neighbours and there was no social distancing, something people in countries under lockdown will find hard to relate to. |
| There have been fewer than 12,000 infections in the Czech Republic, a country of 10 million. About 350 people have died. | There have been fewer than 12,000 infections in the Czech Republic, a country of 10 million. About 350 people have died. |
| The event's organiser said the celebration was possible due to a lack of tourists in the famously charming city. | The event's organiser said the celebration was possible due to a lack of tourists in the famously charming city. |
| Ondrej Kobza, organiser of the party and owner of a cafe in the city, told the AFP news agency: "We want to celebrate the end of the coronavirus crisis by letting people meet and show they are not afraid to meet, that they are not afraid to take a piece of a sandwich from their neighbour." | Ondrej Kobza, organiser of the party and owner of a cafe in the city, told the AFP news agency: "We want to celebrate the end of the coronavirus crisis by letting people meet and show they are not afraid to meet, that they are not afraid to take a piece of a sandwich from their neighbour." |
| Spaces for the event, which had to be reserved, were fully booked. | Spaces for the event, which had to be reserved, were fully booked. |
| One attendee, Galina Khomchenko-Krejcikova, said she found the event on Facebook and "thought it was interesting". | One attendee, Galina Khomchenko-Krejcikova, said she found the event on Facebook and "thought it was interesting". |
| "I just finished a night shift so I didn't have time to prepare anything," she said. "But we brought some wine and snacks we found at home." | "I just finished a night shift so I didn't have time to prepare anything," she said. "But we brought some wine and snacks we found at home." |
| The Czech Republic was quick to enforce a lockdown and has managed to avoid the worst of the pandemic. | The Czech Republic was quick to enforce a lockdown and has managed to avoid the worst of the pandemic. |
| Last week, the government permitted public gatherings of up to 1,000 people. Swimming pools, museums, zoos and castles can now open without limits on the number of visitors. | Last week, the government permitted public gatherings of up to 1,000 people. Swimming pools, museums, zoos and castles can now open without limits on the number of visitors. |
| Restaurants, bars and pubs have been allowed to serve people indoors for a month now. | Restaurants, bars and pubs have been allowed to serve people indoors for a month now. |
| 'A sense of optimism' | 'A sense of optimism' |
| Rob Cameron, BBC Prague correspondent | Rob Cameron, BBC Prague correspondent |
| Above the music and the clinking of cutlery one heard a most unusual sound for this iconic landmark: people speaking Czech. | Above the music and the clinking of cutlery one heard a most unusual sound for this iconic landmark: people speaking Czech. |
| Largely free of foreign tourists, Charles Bridge was transformed on this gloriously sunny evening into one long dining table - as people gathered to mark what organisers described as the end of a period of crisis, although everyone here freely admitted that such celebrations might well turn out to be premature. | Largely free of foreign tourists, Charles Bridge was transformed on this gloriously sunny evening into one long dining table - as people gathered to mark what organisers described as the end of a period of crisis, although everyone here freely admitted that such celebrations might well turn out to be premature. |
| Certainly however there is a sense here that through swift and decisive action Czechs have dodged a bullet. | Certainly however there is a sense here that through swift and decisive action Czechs have dodged a bullet. |
| Relaxing the lockdown has not sent the numbers soaring; there are several local outbreaks far from Prague, which is only recording around 15 infections a day. There was a palpable sense of optimism on the bridge this evening as people remembered what it was like… to live again. | Relaxing the lockdown has not sent the numbers soaring; there are several local outbreaks far from Prague, which is only recording around 15 infections a day. There was a palpable sense of optimism on the bridge this evening as people remembered what it was like… to live again. |