The Polish Government have today (21.1.22) announced a new package of measures in response to the increasing number of infections during this ‘5th wave’ of Covid.
The new measures announced today include:
1. From 27th January, free antigen (lateral flow) tests will be available at some pharmacies. Tests will only be available at selected pharmacies with appropriate facilities (a separate room). A doctors referral (skierowania) is not necessary however registration for the tests is required. (we will add details on how to register when this becomes available)
Test results will be entered into the government record system and made available in the (IKP – pacjent.gov.pl) Internet Patient Account .
2. Increasing the number of beds in hospitals dedicated to COVID-19 patients.
STAGE I – increasing covid beds to 40,000,
STAGE II – increasing covid beds to 60,000,
STAGE III – transforming hospitals as needed, with the possibility of hospitalisation in every hospital in the country.
3. Public administration staff are required to work remotely. – The government also appealed to local government administration and businesses/entrepreneurs to also work remotely for the next few weeks.
4. Patients aged over 60 who test positive for Covid will be examined by a GP within 48 hours, either at home or at the health centre.
5. Shortening the quarantine period to 7 days. With effect from 24th January the quarantine period will be reduced from 10 to 7 days. This only appeals to quarantine imposed after that date, people already under quarantine on that date will need to complete 10 days quarantine.
Asymptomatic individuals will be released from quarantine after 7 days, provided they test negative for COVID-19.
The Prime Minister added:- “We use the experience of other countries. A similar solution was introduced by Germany, France, Belgium, Italy and Greece. This is in line with the recommendations of European agencies.”
Full details on the new measures can be found on the Ministry of health website.
More Coronavirus information is available on the Gov.pl website.
A Scot in Kraków. The founder and editor of Kraków Expats Directory, and our sister sites Kraków TV and Kraków Stories Podcast.
David fell in love with Kraków 24 years ago, making it his home in 2011.
In 2020 he was awarded the title of Kraków’s Ambassador of Multiculturalism, by the President of Kraków, and is also a member of the GlobalScot network, representing Scottish culture and business abroad.
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