Coronavirus Restrictions: Nudist Sunbathers Ordered To Wear Face Masks, But Not Clothes

A group of nudists who have been sunbathing in a spa town in the Czech Republic was ordered by the local police to cover up with a face mask. They could keep their clothes off but they must obey the government's orders to have their mouths covered as a safety precaution amid the coronavirus outbreak.

The police in the town of Lazne Bohdanec reprimanded about 150 nudists who violated the order. Apparently, half of them were not wearing any face masks.

A spokesperson told the press that the nudists were also reprimanded for gathering together when large crowds have been prohibited. While locals may still sunbathe in the nude at specific and designated locations, the government has also restricted public activities to smaller numbers.

"Unfortunately, many of the sunbathing citizens were gathered in large groups, and some were not wearing face masks," said a police statement. "Upon the arrival of the police, everyone agreed to respect the government regulation."

Margaret Janovska, the spokesperson for the police, said that they understand some locals do not have gardens or open spaces at home so they "ventilate" in spa towns in the countryside.

"But we all want one thing in common, fully respecting government regulations, so that the measures taken can be gradually released," she said.

No fines and other citations were given to the violators.

The Czech Republic was one of the first nations in Europe to declare a state of emergency as coronavirus cases increased. In March, the government ordered that wearing face masks for people outside of their houses will be mandatory. The safety measures also included strict social distancing rules and restrictions on public activities.

Coronavirus cases in this European country have gone past the 5,000 mark as of April 8 but as new cases have slowed down, its leaders are considering relaxing some of the safety measures after the Easter weekend.