ABSTRACT
The chapter focuses on governmental communication of COVID-19-related issues in the Czech Republic during the first (spring) phase of the pandemic. Although strict measures were taken by the government and both the general public and political opposition supported them, the communication was chaotic, unclear, contradictory and with frequent unexpected twists. Despite this fact and the lack and widespread unavailability of protective equipment in the country, the government managed to maintain its image as a capable and competent actor who could protect citizens from infection. This was made especially apparent in the remarks of Prime Minister Andrej Babiš, for example, in his denigration of the situation in other countries more affected by the novel coronavirus or in his tweets of advice to US President Donald Trump, which were covered widely in the media, helping Babiš to uphold his image.
