Lockdown in Poland. Experts say if it makes sense and will stop the third wave

On March 25, the Polish government announced a more severe lockdown in Poland. The new restrictions will apply from March 27 to April 9, so they will apply to Easter and the pre-holiday period. Will the restrictions stop the third wave of the coronavirus epidemic in Poland? Experts comment on MedTvoiLokony.

1. From March 27 to April 9, there will be a lockdown in Poland
2. The new list of restrictions includes, inter alia, trade. Nurseries and kindergartens will also be closed
3. The government recommends that you spend Easter at home. There is no restriction on movement
4. Experts urge to limit contacts and follow the rules of the sanitary regime
5. Do you want to live longer? Make a simple test and find out how! 
6. You can find more such stories on the TvoiLokony home page

What new restrictions has the government introduced? See the latest information

Lockdown in Poland. New restrictions

The conference of Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki and Minister of Health Adam Niedzielski took place on Thursday, March 25. The government decided to maintain the existing restrictions in Poland, but also to introduce new restrictions. From March 27 to April 9, the following will be closed:

1. hairdressing and beauty salons
2. nurseries and kindergartens (but they are obliged to provide care for children, medics and employees of law enforcement services)
3. large-scale construction and furniture stores (over 2 sq m), but it will still be possible to buy building materials in wholesalers and construction depots
4. sports facilities (except professional sports)

In addition, the government also introduced restrictions on shops and churches as part of the hard lockdown. The restrictions will include:

1. shops, markets or post offices up to 100 sq m, where the limit of 1 person will apply for 15 sq m
2. shops, markets or post offices over 100 sq m, where the limit of 1 person will apply. for 20 sq m
3. churches with a limit of 1 person for 20 sq m, with a distance of min. 1,5 m and with the obligation to wear masks

The government has decided not to introduce legally sanctioned restrictions in connection with Easter. The recommendation is to limit the celebration to the household members only. There is no restriction on movement. The Minister of Health, Adam Niedzielski, also recommends switching only to remote work wherever possible.

Lockdown in Poland. Dr. Dzieiątkowski: the virus does not know religion or political views

Virologist Dr. Tomasz Dzieciatkowski commented on the new restrictions introduced by the government for MedTvoiLokony. The specialist did not show enthusiasm when he heard about the rules of a hard lockdown around Christmas.

– There has been a lack of thinking in the last six months. In fact, Lockdown has one and only goal – to improve the functioning of a non-functioning healthcare system so that it doesn’t crash even more. It should be hoped that it will succeed, but whether it will be so – I do not know.

1. See also: Total lockdown for Easter. How to safely spend Christmas at home?

Dr. Dzieiątkowski was also skeptical about the new limits, which are to apply in churches in Poland from 27 March.

– If you believe that there will be one delinquent per 1 sq m in churches, unfortunately you are able to believe everything. I do not believe it, let alone that anyone is controlling it – added Dr. Dziecitkowski.

When asked how we should behave in order to actually control the coronavirus epidemic in Poland, the virologist has a specific answer.

— We should have acted as we should, and we haven’t acted for the last six months. So you really avoid unnecessary contacts, use social distance, wear masks correctly and follow the rules of hygiene. Because the percentage of coronasceptics in Poland has already reached its zenith. And let’s also remember that it’s not like we have to be afraid of the coronavirus. We must treat him with caution, because he will take advantage of our every inattention and infect us in the church or in schools. Wherever we give him a chance. The virus does not know religion or political views – said the expert.

Lockdown in Poland. Dr. Fiałek: a state of natural disaster, high penalties and hard lockdown – this is our only chance

According to Dr. Bartosz Fiałek, hard lockdown is necessary, but in a different form.

– In such a difficult epidemic situation, it is first necessary to introduce a state of natural disaster, with high penalties for not respecting the restrictions – comments Dr. Fiałek for MedTvoiLokony. – Yes, to be able to effectively enforce the rules introduced by the government. When the restrictions are introduced incorrectly in the light of the law, as they are now, we know perfectly well that not everyone is complying with them. Some Poles do not accept fines, and the courts will discontinue the fines because they were introduced without a legal basis. Another issue is hard lockdown.

1. Editors recommend: Lockdown in Poland. How did it come about? Experts have no doubts

Dr. Fiałek is of the opinion that some of the new restrictions are right and justified.

— There are many legitimate demands in the lockdown introduced by the government today. Closing nurseries and kindergartens – absolutely. Similarly with furniture or construction stores. As for the churches, they should rather be closed. But if it could not be done for tradition or for emotional reasons, it is at least right that the possibility of people gathering there was limited. A bit too little, but it is a step in the right direction – adds the doctor.

1. See also: More and more young people in hospitals due to COVID-19. “I felt safe”

Dr. Fiałek, however, draws attention to the “soft” recommendation concerning the limitation of movement in the pre-Christmas period.

– There is also this statement: “restriction of movement”, which I do not know what it means in practice. This is a soft recommendation, something that the rulers like. Adapt, but if you don’t, nothing will happen. And this is a problem, because in my opinion this movement should be hardly limited. So that citizens do not travel from the voivodeship to the voivodeship, because they think it would be worth visiting their parents or going shopping there. A restriction at the poviat level should be introduced here – you do not leave the poviat, unless you have a justified need: business or related to random events.

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If during these 14 days, from March 27 to April 9, we really adapted to the recommendations and restrictions introduced by the government, would we be able to stop the COVID-19 epidemic in Poland? Dr. Fiałek believes that this is our only chance.

– Limiting the transmission of the coronavirus, and thus reducing the dynamics of the COVID-19 epidemic in Poland, can of course be achieved through vaccination, but also through sanitary and epidemiological rules with hard lockdown. Thanks to such actions in Israel, Great Britain and the USA, it was possible to control the high increments of new patients. This is our chance – in fact the only one. We will not speed up the vaccination, so they will not affect 100%. to reduce SARS CoV-2 infections. We must add these – unfortunately burdensome – restrictions to them. And then, in fact, after these 14 days, if we are responsible, we will definitely observe a decrease in the daily number of SARS CoV-2 coronavirus infections.

If we do not approach hard lockdown seriously, the black scenario may come true.

– If we do not adapt to the restrictions, if we behave as we have so far, there is a high probability of further increases. And we know that nothing is made of rubber – especially Polish health care. Without our responsibility, the Polish health care system will soon be paralyzed – admits Fiałek.

Also read:

1. Microbiologist: fever and muscle pain after vaccination are not side effects
2. New COVID-19 variant from India. Biologist: Don’t worry
3. First: don’t lie. How and when to call an ambulance to a patient with COVID-19?
4. What to take to the hospital during the coronavirus outbreak?
5. Here is the third wave, and Great Britain is starting to win with the pandemic. How did they do it?

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