Skoda restarts car production in Czech Republic

Skoda restarted production at its auto plants in the Czech Republic on Monday, after the country's far-reaching lockdown was eased.

Employees arriving for work at the manufacturer's Mlada Boleslav plant received face masks and other protective gear.

Security staff performed random temperature checks on the workers as they passed through the entrance gates.

Tools are set to be cleaned and workspaces disinfected.

Due to the coronavirus pandemic, Skoda Auto halted production operations at all three of its Czech plants on 18 March.

Employees received 70 percent of their salary from March 18 to March 29, after which the sum was increased to 75 percent.

Skoda Auto, which last year delivered 1.24 million cars globally, employs 34,000 people in the Czech Republic, alongside some 5,000 abroad, including China, Russia and India.

According to the John Hopkins University, the Czech Republic has recorded over 7,400 COVID-19 cases and 220 deaths.

For most people, the coronavirus causes mild or moderate symptoms, such as fever and cough, that clear up in two to three weeks.

But it can cause more severe illness, including pneumonia, and death for some people, especially older adults and people with existing health problems.