Poland declares coronavirus ‘epidemic’

10:26, 21.03.2020

Poland is moving into a “state of epidemic” — which gives central and regional governments greater powers to deal with a crisis — Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki announced at a press conference Friday evening.

Since March 13, the country has been in a state of “epidemic threat.” That status has now been upgraded, which will give the authorities ability to, for example, transfer medical personnel and other government workers and introduce limits on transport.

“Those two, three weeks until Easter, they have to be the weeks of social discipline,” Morawiecki said, as reported by Politico.

The Polish government has also increased the size of the fines for breaking the quarantine — from 5,000 to 30,000 złoty (€1,100 to €6,600), and prolonged the lockdown of schools until after the Easter break.

The government has already introduced a series of strict quarantine measures, with schools, public institutions and restaurants closed, and the borders shut for foreigners.

Poland has reported 411 cases of coronavirus, 50 of which were on Friday.

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