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“One house, three generations and a global pandemic,” that’s the focus of a new six-episode sitcom currently being prepared by Czech Television, entitled ‘Love in the Time of Coronavirus’. The show, alluding to Gabriel García Márquez’s famous novel ‘Love in the Time of Cholera, will be set in several Prague apartments during the coronavirus lockdown.

With Easter around the corner and a glorious bout of spring weather belying the gravity of the coronavirus crisis, the government has moved to ease restrictions at least in some small measure which would allow people to get a breath of fresh air and enjoy the spring holidays. However masses and caroling are strictly banned.

During its time it was supposed to be the largest of the West Slavic churches, but the structure which archaeologists have found at Prague’s Vyšehrad was never finished, hinting at a surrounding story. The results of the most recent excavations are set to be made public in upcoming publications on the subject.

The key figure in the fight against the coronavirus epidemic in the Czech Republic, Deputy Health Minister Roman Prymula, has made a surprising U-turn in favour of herd immunity as a means of beating the virus. He also indicated that life in the Czech Republic could return to normal sooner than anticipated.

Obliged to close their doors to the public during the coronavirus pandemic, a wide range of Czech cultural, historical and religious institutions have begun offering an extended range of virtual tours and online programmes. Among the latest to do so is the magnificent St Wenceslas Cathedral in Olomouc – which is developing a 3D virtual reality tour with English-language commentary – while the annual Prague Spring international music festival, whose programme, of course, needs no translation, will broadcast live.

Farmers markets began popping up on Czech town squares a decade ago, much to the delight of locals in search of seasonal produce, freshly baked goods, free-range eggs, craft beer – you name it. Along with other ‘non-essential’ businesses, they were ordered to close on March 10 due to the coronavirus pandemic. The Farmers’ Market Association says its plea to reopen under strict hygienic conditions has been met with a stony silence, while bankruptcy looms for small, family-run businesses.

Prague City Council, in cooperation with ticket portal GoOut, have launched a new initiative to support theatres, concert halls, clubs and other venues closed due to the coronavirus outbreak. As of April 1, people can buy a symbolic ticket for a non-existent show to help save their favourite culture venues.

As the authorities take restrictive measures to try to get the coronavirus epidemic under control, NGOs are warning that behind the scenes of the evolving health crisis thousands of people could be experiencing their own private hell: the victims of domestic violence who are now trapped at home with an abuser 24 hours a day.

The Czech film industry expects to see a 75 percent drop in production by year’s end due to the coronavirus pandemic. The cinemas are closed, the production of foreign blockbusters and TV series have been suspended, and local filmmakers are all but restricted now to doing studio work. But it is not all bad news. Czech Film Commissioner Pavlína Žipková says development work is still pouring in, and most if not all big-money productions will likely return.

Impacted like so many others by coronavirus-related restrictions, the Prague Radio Symphony Orchestra has found a new way to reach audiences. It is relaying live video streams of concerts on Facebook twice a week, with the second in the series of 25 due for Friday at 20:00. I discussed the special project with orchestra director Jakub Čížek.