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At the press conference, Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki and Minister of Health Łukasz Szumowski informed that the obligation to wear masks was partially lifted. The order to cover the nose and mouth was in force in Poland from April 16, 2020.
Mouth and nose mask order partially lifted
From next Saturday, May 30, the obligation to cover the mouth and nose will be partially lifted – said Mateusz Morawiecki.
“In public spaces, the 2-meter distance rule will apply, and wearing masks will no longer be obligatory” – announced the Prime Minister. He also added that the loosening of the obligation applies to open spaces, but also to closed areas where the rules of distance can be kept. Therefore, the masks will still apply, for example, in shops or shopping malls.
The DDM principle still applies: disinfection, distance, masks, Morawiecki announced.
From May 30: either a mask or a distance of 2 meters
The new rules for covering the nose and mouth have been precisely described on the gov.pl website. We read there, among others:
«If you are able to keep 2 meters away from others in an open space, you do not need to cover your mouth and nose. So you can walk, cycle, walk on the street, park, beach or parking lot without a mask – but only if you keep the appropriate social distance.
Note: If you are unable to keep 2 meters in the open air – on a crowded sidewalk, for example – then you must cover your mouth and nose. It is about our common security.
Let’s remember! The obligation to maintain a 2-meter social distance does not apply to parents with children requiring care (up to the age of 13), people living together, people with disabilities, people who cover their mouth and nose. »
The Ministry of Health also lists the exact places where you must cover your mouth and nose. These are:
- buses and trams,
- shops,
- where is the theater,
- massage and tattoo parlors,
- churches,
- offices (if you go to the office to run an errand).
Additional places where you will have to cover your mouth and nose will be determined by the Chief Sanitary Inspectorate.
Exceptions. Where is it not necessary to cover the mouth and nose?
- At work – if the employer ensures adequate distances between positions and meets the sanitary requirements.
- In a restaurant or bar – when you are seated at the table.
Why is the obligation to wear masks abolished?
The introduction of the obligation to wear masks or other mouth and nose covers was dictated by scientific data that showed that a large proportion of people infected with coronavirus do not have symptoms of the disease. This means that they can unknowingly spread the virus to other people. The masks were to stop the epidemic from developing.
- Why has the Ministry of Health changed its mind about masks?
Why has the Ministry of Health changed its mind about masks? Here is the answer we received from the department:
– All decisions are supported by hard data, mainly concerning the virus reproduction rate, i.e. the rate of infection, the number of occupied hospital beds or the number of patients under ventilators, and the number of deaths. Currently, only in the Śląskie Voivodeship the virus reproduction rate is higher than 1. This means that in the remaining voivodships one person infects less than one person. The number of occupied hospital beds has dropped by more than 80 in the last 1900 hours alone, and today amounts to just over 90. The number of occupied ventilators today is less than XNUMX.
- The Ministry of Health is considering abolishing the compulsory covering of the mouth and nose. Has anything changed in terms of epidemics in Poland?
What do experts say about masks?
The World Health Organization first defended the position that the masks are intended only for the sick and caring for the sick, and wearing them gives a false sense of security (this could be related to the lack of protection measures around the world). At the moment, it recognizes that wearing a medical mask reduces the spread of certain respiratory viral diseases, including COVID-19. However, the WHO continues to point out that the use of a mask alone is not sufficient to ensure an adequate level of protection. Other measures should be taken, such as physical distance and hand hygiene.
- WHO recommendations on the wearing of masks
Prof. Iwona Paradowska-Stankiewicz, national epidemiology consultant, in an interview with Medonet said that in some places masks are necessary: - If an infected person is asymptomatic, working in one room with others, especially if there is no adequate ventilation, danger. The WHO arbitrarily established that in the absence of PPE (personal protective equipment), i.e. masks, staying with someone for 15 minutes is a situation in which there is a risk of infection. If we sit at work 6-8 hours or more, the risk increases. In such places, in my opinion, we should continue to use masks.
The expert emphasizes that the ban may disappear from the streets, but should be kept in means of communication or offices.
Prof. Krzysztof Simon, Lower Silesian Voivodship Consultant for Infectious Diseases, in the «Coronavirus. The report »in TVN24 said that some of the restrictions could be waived only when a vaccine against COVID-19 or an effective drug for a disease caused by coronavirus appears. We don’t have one or the other yet.
Find out more:
- Paramedic: after what I saw in Italy, I know that the compulsory face masks are a good idea
- Types of protective masks. Which Best Protects Against Coronavirus?