Prague and the rest of the Czech Republic are currently bracing for one of the most extreme weather events in recent history. The Czech Hydrometeorological Institute (ČHMÚ) has issued a red alert—its highest warning level—as temperatures this weekend are forecast to approach or even exceed 40°C. Expats.cz If the thermometer climbs past 40.4°C, it will officially break the country’s all-time historical temperature record, which was set in Dobřichovice in August 2012. This is

The ongoing global recall of infant formula has officially impacted the Czech Republic in a highly visible way. Recently, the Czech Ministry of Health reclassified a child's severe illness from "probable" to "confirmed," making it the country's first confirmed case directly tied to the global recall of contaminated Alfamino infant formula. Expats.cz For expat parents navigating the Czech healthcare system, news like this is deeply unsettling. If you have been using formula

If you have tried to schedule a meeting, book a contractor, or find a parking spot in Prague this week, you have likely noticed a shift in the air. The school year has officially ended, the temperatures are rising, and the city is preparing for its annual summer ritual: the great July exodus. In the Czech Republic, the first week of July brings two major public holidays back-to-back: St. Cyril and Methodius Day (July 5th) and Jan Hus Day (July 6th). Because these holidays oft

It is late May in Prague. The days are glorious and long, the sun is now rising before 5:00 AM, and the city’s energy is buzzing. Yet, as you sit at your desk or try to enjoy a post-work walk by the Vltava, you might feel like you are walking through wet concrete. You are forgetting simple words in meetings. You are reading the same email paragraph three times. You are surviving entirely on espresso. This isn't just standard tiredness; this is Brain Fog, and it is often the d

Mid-May in Prague is objectively beautiful. The beer gardens are open, the days are getting longer, and summer is just around the corner. Yet, despite the sunshine, you might find yourself feeling constantly on edge. You are snapping at your colleagues, losing your patience with your children over minor issues, and feeling a bubbling sense of frustration that you just can’t shake. It is easy to brush this off as just being "in a bad mood" or having a rough week. But from a me

If you are relocating to Prague this summer, your to-do list is likely massive: finding an apartment, securing your visa, and figuring out the public transit system. However, there is one crucial task expats consistently leave until the last minute: registering with local doctors. In the Czech Republic, waiting until you are sick to find a doctor is a massive mistake. The public system is heavily strained, and many clinics simply refuse new patients due to full capacity. To e

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If you have been looking out your window in Prague this week, you have likely seen a lot of gray skies, chilly rain, and temperatures hovering around 5°C to 11°C. While this lingering wet weather might be dampening your mood and keeping your spring wardrobe in the closet, there is one local resident absolutely thriving in these conditions: the Czech tick. Many expats assume that tick season only begins when the hot summer sun arrives. In reality, ticks love moisture. The high

You just saw two pink lines on the test. After the initial wave of joy (and perhaps a little panic), the reality of your situation sets in: How exactly does having a baby work in the Czech Republic? If you are an expat from the US, the UK, or elsewhere, the Czech prenatal care system might surprise you—usually in a very good way. The care here is highly medicalized, thorough, and involves a lot of monitoring. At the center of it all is a little paper booklet that will become

Congratulations! You have navigated the interviews, signed the contract, and you are ready to start your new job in Prague. But just as you are celebrating, your new HR department hands you a piece of paper titled Žádost o provedení pracovnělékařské prohlídky and tells you that you cannot legally start working until a doctor clears you. For many expats, this is their first collision with Czech occupational health law. Why do you need a doctor to confirm you are fit to sit at

We are nearing the end of Q1. The corporate push in Prague is at its peak, the winter has been long, and you are likely running on espresso and sheer willpower. When expats talk about "burnout," it is usually framed as a mental health or productivity issue. We tell ourselves we just need a long weekend, a spa day, or to "push through" until the summer holidays. But burnout is not just a state of mind. It is a highly physiological condition. When you live in a state of chronic

You survived the darkest parts of the Prague winter, but as late February rolls in, you find yourself constantly reaching for a tissue. Your nose is running, your throat is scratchy, and your eyes are watering. You probably think you have caught another late-season winter cold. ​But if it has been lasting for more than a week without a fever, you might be facing something else entirely: early spring allergies. ​The "Invisible" Spring ​While the trees in Riegrovy Sady or Letná

The days in Prague are finally getting a little longer, and the first hints of spring are in the air. Yet, instead of feeling energized by the shifting seasons, you are struggling to drag yourself out of bed. By 2:00 PM, your brain feels foggy, your body feels heavy, and all you want is another coffee. If you mention this to a local colleague, they will likely nod knowingly and diagnose you with jarní únava (spring fatigue). While "spring fatigue" is a culturally accepted ph

​You just unpacked the snowsuits from jarní prázdniny (the Czech spring break). The kids had a great time skiing in the Krkonoše or the Alps, and you were finally looking forward to a normal routine. But just days after returning to school or kindergarten, the inevitable happens: the coughing starts, the fever spikes, and you are back to playing nurse. ​If it feels like your child catches a new bug every time there is a school break, you aren't imagining things. Late February

As we move through February, the days in Prague are finally getting longer. We are all eagerly awaiting the first warm weekends at the náplavka or trips to the coast. But before you swap your winter coat for short sleeves, there is one critical health check you should prioritize: your skin. Skin cancer, particularly melanoma, is one of the most common cancers in the Czech Republic. The good news is that it is also almost entirely preventable and highly treatable when detecte

It is 2:00 PM on a Monday. You have a critical meeting in an hour, but you are staring at your screen, struggling to connect the dots. You aren't just tired; you are mentally sluggish. You have "brain fog." For many executives and professionals in Prague, this is a daily reality. We often blame it on lack of coffee or a heavy Czech lunch, but the root cause is frequently cellular. Your brain is the most energy-hungry organ in your body, consuming 20% of your total oxygen supp

You have a pounding headache or a runny nose. You walk into a supermarket in Prague, head to the "health" aisle, and expect to find shelves stocked with Tylenol, DayQuil, or aspirin. Instead, you find vitamins, tea, and maybe some band-aids. For many expats, this is the first "culture shock" of the Czech medical system. In the Czech Republic, the rules surrounding medication—even simple painkillers—are significantly stricter than in the US or UK. Navigating the Lékárna (Phar

Seeing a positive result on a pregnancy test is one of life’s most emotional moments. But when you are an expat living in Prague, that excitement is often quickly followed by a wave of questions: How does the system work here? Will the doctors speak English? Can my partner come to scans? The Czech Republic has excellent medical standards for maternal and infant health—among the best in the world. However, the public system can feel bureaucratic, crowded, and impersonal. For n

It’s January in Prague. The days are short, the sky is often gray, and it seems like everyone on the tram is coughing. If you feel like you are caught in an endless loop of colds, sore throats, and general winter fatigue, you are not alone. When sickness strikes, many people instinctively reach for mega-doses of Vitamin C or over-the-counter wellness boosters. While well-intentioned, this approach is often based on guesswork rather than individual biology. True immune resilie

Living in Prague offers a wonderful opportunity to experience rich history and culture in the heart of Europe. But for many Japanese expatriates and their families, life overseas comes with a significant source of anxiety: healthcare. When you are unwell, your energy reserves are low. The thought of navigating a complex foreign medical system, trying to describe subtle symptoms in a second language, or understanding complicated diagnoses in English or Czech can be overwhelmin