Since Tuesday, Prague Airport has taken new operational measures in connection to the occurrence of coronavirus in Italy. There are special arrivals gates reserved at the Václav Havel Airport in Prague for all arrivals from Italy. No other passengers from any other destination will be passing these gates.

Prague Airport management has announced the news to the public on Monday evening via an official Twitter account. The statement included the phrase, “we are the first airport in the world to take such measures on arrivals from Italy”.

Roman Pacvoň, Ruzyne Prague Airport, then detailed the measures in a press release: “There is a total of six gates on the ground floor of finger D at Terminal 2, which are closest to the exit from Terminal 2. Thus passengers from Italy will be concentrated in one area. This will significantly limit the movement of passengers from Italy within the airport.”

According to Pacvoň, there will be increased hygiene measures, meaning that the arrival gates will be disinfected more often. “There will also be enhanced targeted screening by airport security staff,” said the spokesman. Passengers on flights from Seoul, South Korea, will be isolated similarly.

Passengers With Symptoms Will Be Examined Directly at the Airport

Prague Airport staff are already instructed to pay increased attention to passengers, and if they notice any signs of respiratory disease on any of them, they should alert the airport police guard and refer the “suspicious” person to the care of Ruzyně Prague Airport. “The measure has proved successful and works well,” states the Prague Airport press department on a social network discussion.

The spokesman added that the gates marked for arrivals from Italy only would also be equipped with informational boards that had been installed at Prague Airport before, mainly due to passengers from China. People arriving from Italy will also be informed about the measures to counter the spread of the disease through leaflets.