Western Europe faces an increasingly difficult epidemic situation

Despite the warm, sunny weather and holidays being in full swing, Western Europe is recording increasing rates of COVID-19 infections. COVID-19. “Coronavirus cases recorded each day in Western Europe reach up to – and even exceed – 20,000. The trend assessments vary. What is happening in Western Europe indicates a risk. As such, it is even more vital for everyone to realise that vaccination is the sole, most effective method of fighting the coronavirus”, said Prime Minister Morawiecki.  

“In Poland, we have recently been recording slightly more than 100 cases per day. We have 300 beds and about 40 respirators occupied”, he added. According to the Minister of Health, the delta variant dominates among the samples tested – last month it has already accounted for more than 60% of all infections.

Poland is ready for an increase in COVID-19 cases

Preparations for a possible fourth wave of the pandemic were discussed during the meeting of the Government Crisis Management Team. “We are prepared for an increase in coronavirus infections. All services are ready and standing by. The logistics-related issues of the COVID-19 counteracting system are also being resolved”, said Minister of Health Adam Niedzielski.

We have about 320 laboratories, which can perform nearly 170,000 tests every day.  Additionally, we have 500 drive-thru locations, as well as a network of laboratories for verifying the virus’ mutations.

In cooperation with directors of the specific Voivodeship branches of the National Health Fund, each Voivode has been issued an action plan for his region. It is assumed that about 11,340 beds will be kept available for COVID-19 patients.

“We have also taken care of contracting additional medical rescue teams. During the previous coronavirus wave, the additional measures made it possible to expand our potential by another 160 teams”, Minister Niedzielski added. Apart from that, additional training for medical personnel is also conducted.

Get vaccinated before facing the fourth wave of the COVID-19 pandemic

“Most coronavirus victims are unvaccinated persons – they account for 99% of the most dramatic cases. What better proof is there of the vaccines being an actual remedy”, said Prime Minister Morawiecki. Poland has already administered a total of 34 million vaccine doses, with the number of fully vaccinated persons amounting to 17 million. Yet this is still insufficient for us to speak of herd immunity.

“Let us be wise before the harm is done, let us be the first ones to get vaccinated. We have built a vaccination infrastructure capable of servicing more than 700,000 patients per day. We can vaccinate around 5 million Poles within a week. This is a lot, and this is the missing part of the adult population aged over 16 and over 12, which – according to the Medical Council – could bring us close to herd immunity”, PM Morawiecki explained.

Setting up vaccination centres; conducting information and incentive campaigns – a summary of actions taken 

“A more than 100% increase in persons ready to get vaccinated – compared to less than 30% in November 2020, with a rise to almost 70% in June – is not accidental”, said Michał Dworczyk, Head of the Chancellery of the Prime Minister. Encouraging Poles to get vaccinated is one of the government's top priorities. More than 6,000 COVID-19 vaccination centres have been opened in recent months, as well as nearly half a thousand common vaccination centres. This is to enable everyone who wants to get the vaccine to be able to do so.

Medical establishments are not the only places where one can get the jab. To make vaccination against COVID-19 even easier, pharmacies, shopping centres and even entrepreneurs have all joined forces for the common cause. Mass event participants also had a chance to conveniently get a single-dose vaccine.

Apart from setting up vaccination centres, the government also initiated information and promotion campaigns. Local government competitions with attractive prizes for communes with the highest numbers of vaccinated residents have been launched as well. “Along with the Rural Housewives’ Clubs and the Volunteer Fire Department, we have also launched the National Vaccination Programme Lottery. We have also involved numerous other institutions in these undertakings”, Mr Dworczyk added.

Two government campaigns – #LetsGetVaccinated (Pol.: #SzczepimySię) and The Final Stretch (Pol.: Ostatnia Prosta) – are being implemented in towns and cities across Poland Actors and athletes have become involved in providing trustworthy vaccination information as well.

Educational activities and two large programmes

Despite what we have already accomplished, we continue our efforts to encourage as many citizens as possible to get vaccinated against COVID-19. A dedicated information campaign is scheduled to launch in schools in September. Importantly, it will not only include lessons but also webinars, which will be available to parents.

We are launching two large programmes. Nearly half a billion zlotys will be allocated for this purpose. The first one is #GROWINGIMMUNITY. It is a programme for local governments. In each rural county, three communes with the highest increase in the vaccination level will receive PLN 1 million for the first place, PLN 500,000 for the second, and PLN 250,000 for the third, respectively”, Mr Dworczyk explained.

“Another programme is the launch of mobile vaccination centres based on Voivodeship Offices. Mobile vaccination points will travel around communes with the lowest numbers of vaccinated individuals”, he added.