COVID-19: restrictions extended until 31 January ?

Ten post jest także dostępny w języku: polski

The government’s list of legislative works included a draft of the covid regulation. It expects that the limits will be further tightened and extended until the end of January 2022. There will also be certain modifications that the Ministry of Health has not yet notified the public about.

The document confirms the extension of the existing and new restrictions, which will enter into force on 15 December, until the end of 2022 January, as well as tightening of limits in restaurants, shops, sports facilities, hotels, and cinemas, as well as the closure of clubs and discos, announced by the representatives of the Ministry of Health. Vaccinated persons will not be included in the new limits

Specifically, the draft covid regulation provides for:

• Modification of the regulation governing the obligations of persons crossing the Republic of Poland’s external border with the European Union, which requires such persons to present a negative result of the SARS-CoV-2 diagnostic test to a Border Guard officer, in Polish or English, performed prior to crossing the border, within 24 hours of the test’s result (the test can be performed both in the country from which the person starts the journey and on the territory of the Republic of Poland at the airport, before the border check).
  • • • Pupils studying in the Republic of Poland or in a nearby country, as well as their guardians who cross the border with students to facilitate this education, and children covered by pre-school education in the Republic of Poland or in a neighboring nation, will be free from this responsibility. Students studying in the Republic of Poland or a neighboring country and their guardians who cross the border with them to enable this education, as well as children enrolled in pre-school education in the Republic of Poland or a neighboring country and their guardians who cross the border with them to take over this upbringing, will be exempt from this obligation. A individual who fails to present a Border Guard officer a negative test result will be subjected to a mandatory quarantine.;
• Clarification of the provisions defining a person vaccinated against COVID-19 by stating that this status will be granted to a person who has completed the primary vaccination course, i.e. two doses of the vaccine given in the case of a two-dose vaccine or one dose of the vaccine given in the case of a single-dose vaccine.
• Adding the Principality of Andorra, the Principality of Monaco, the Republic of San Marino, the Vatican City State, and the Holy See to the list of entities for which the laws allowing for exemptions from obligatory quarantine for people embarking on a voyage from their territory apply;
• An additional condition for a person who runs a shared household with a person diagnosed with or living with SARS-CoV-2 virus infection will be that a given person has obtained a negative result of the diagnostic test for SARS-CoV-2 virus infection, performed after the diagnosis of SARS-CoV-2 virus infection in a person who shares a household with this person or lives with it; the condition will be that a given person has obtained a negative result of the diagnostic test for SARS-CoV-2;

• Adding officers and civil workers of the Police and Border Guard to the list of entities entitled to utilize hotel services, without exceeding the stated maximum of rooms available;
  
• Change of the clause defining the sequence of COVID-19 immunizations so that the disease’s vaccine can be given to children born in 2016 who have reached the age of five.

Furthermore, the document specifically mentions entrepreneur verification of covid passports. However, the government’s answer is vague, and in a nutshell, it implies that while a covid passport will not be needed of everybody, its presentation will be required to access events after the maximum number of participants has been reached. Recognizing that the solution raised interpretation issues, the government proposed that the draft clarify the applicable regulation so that it clearly states that it is up to the person who intends to use the service or participate in the event to decide whether he or she wants to exercise the right related to COVID-19 vaccination when a limit is reached, resulting in a restriction in access to this service or event.