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By the decision of the Minister of Health, an epidemic emergency has been in force in Poland since May 16. It replaced the epidemic that had been in force since March 20, 2020. The change in the legal situation is the result of a downward trend in new cases: the number of infections, deaths and hospitalizations due to coronavirus infection is decreasing. There is no revolution in the restrictions, because most of the restrictions were lifted earlier, but three of them are still in force.
- There is currently an epidemic threat in Poland. This means that there is a risk of an epidemic in our country
- From May 16, there will no longer be a government plenipotentiary for the national immunization program against the SARS-CoV-2 virus.
- The obligation to wear face masks remains in healthcare entities and pharmacies, and medics must vaccinate against COVID-19. There are also covid certificates still in place
- The minister of health lifted the epidemic due to the diminishing epidemiological threat. Adam Niedzielski stated that the epidemic is “quieting down” and is heading towards endemic
- Experts do not share the optimism of the head of the health ministry, believing that the end of the pandemic is still far away. They also note the limited testing for COVID-19, which does not give a fair picture of the infection situation in the country
- More information can be found on the Onet homepage
The state of epidemic threat and the state of the epidemic
An epidemic emergency is a legal situation that is introduced in a given area in connection with an epidemic. The aim of such action is to take the anti-epidemic and preventive measures specified in the act to minimize the effects of the epidemic. Whereas an epidemiological emergency means that there is an epidemic risk in the area.
The Minister of Health, Adam Niedzielski, after consulting with advisers, concluded that the epidemic in Poland has been “muted”, because we are recording fewer and fewer cases of SARS-CoV-2 virus infections and now we can talk about the risk of an epidemic rather than the epidemic itself. This modification has already been established in law – on May 13, the amendment to the regulation was published in the Journal of Laws Of the Council of Ministers of March 25, 2022 on the establishment of certain restrictions, orders and bans in connection with the outbreak of the epidemic.
The change in the legal situation did not bring about many changes, as almost all covid restrictions were lifted earlier. Speech incl. about the obligation to wear protective masks, isolate oneself in the event of a positive COVID-19 test result, as well as quarantine as a cohabitant of a sick person or a traveler.
The only change that comes into force on May 16 is the lack of a government plenipotentiary for the national immunization program against the SARS-CoV-2 virus.
We remind you that has not been abolished:
- obligation to cover the nose and mouth in medical entities and pharmacies,
- obligation to vaccinate medical professionals against COVID-19,
- covid certificate – its validity for people who took three doses of the vaccine is indefinite (after two doses, the validity period of the document is 270 days).
Experts unanimously: the pandemic is not over
The Minister of Health justified his decision with the fact that the state of epidemiological threat in Poland is much lower than before, and the epidemic is heading towards endemic disease.
According to experts – epidemiologists, virologists and doctors – the change in the legal situation is definitely premature. – The war continues, the enemy is hiding, but that does not mean that he is no longer dangerous – said Dr. Paweł Grzesiowski, a pediatrician and expert of the Supreme Medical Council for combating COVID-19 in Onet Rano. The doctor expressed concern that everyone around him seems to be forgetting the danger that still exists.
– What was supposed to happen happened, which in my opinion was the case of the pandemic being silenced. The media ceased to be interested in the subject of a dozen or so sick people. (…) the idea was to stop talking about the virus, not defeat the virus – added Dr. Grzesiowski.
The rest of the article is available under the video.
The expert added that any infections that do occur will not be seen because testing has been drastically reduced. – We are starting to treat COVID-19 as if it does not exist, and the flu is there, we test it, take it seriously, study it (…). COVID-19 is set to be forgotten. This is, in my opinion, a form of escape from conclusions after two years of a pandemic, because I did not hear any analysis of how we fought the virus The doctor admitted.
Lek spoke for MedTvoiLokony in a similar vein. Bartosz Fiałek, rheumatologist, deputy medical director in the Independent Public Complex of Healthcare Institutions in Płońsk, promoter of medical knowledge about COVID-19.
– It is clear that if we do not test for SARS-CoV-2 infection, we do not detect it, and if we do not detect it, we forget about its existence – He said.
Do you want to test your COVID-19 immunity after vaccination? Have you been infected and want to check your antibody levels? See the COVID-19 immunity test package, which you will perform at Diagnostics network points.
According to the expert, in Poland we live in two parallel worlds. One is a world where pathogens, including the novel coronavirus, still exist and evolve. The second is the Polish world, where those who manage the course of the COVID-19 epidemic make decisions that send a clear message to the public: the epidemic is over.
Meanwhile, according to the doctor, many patients with coronavirus continue to report to medical facilities.
– My friends still suffer from COVID-19, and patients with a severe course of infection are still being admitted to the hospital where I work. In addition, almost every day I get to the latest scientific reports on the next variants, subvariants and recombinants of SARS-CoV-2, which are more and more infectious and bypass our immune response better and better, ‘he says, adding: Now we have disarmed and before we arm ourselves again with the rules and tools to control the course of the pandemic, we will pay dearly for it – often with the life of the weakest, i.e. people with impaired immunity and seniors.
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