Poland will bring forward the reopening of cinemas and start vaccinating 16- and 17-year-olds, the prime minister said on Wednesday, as COVID-19 cases decline.
The country reported 4,255 new cases on Wednesday, part of a marked decrease since the peak of the third wave in May, when there were as many as 35,253 daily cases. This has given authorities the confidence to ease restrictions faster than originally planned.
"We are accelerating the opening of cinemas, theatres, concert halls and cultural institutions by 1 week, or exactly 8 days, to May 21, so that... these sections of social and socio-economic life can start earlier," Mateusz Morawiecki told a news conference.
He also said gyms and fitness centres would open one day earlier than planned - on May 28. Also on that day restaurants will be allowed to serve guest inside up 50 percent of capacity.
Morawiecki said Poland would start vaccinating 16- and 17-year-olds. "We want to make vaccination available for this younger part of society soon," he said.
Health Minister Adam Niedzielski said later that day the registration for these age groups would launched on May 17, and that Pfizer/BioNTech shots would be used. "Details will presented be on Friday at the latest" - he added.
Minister Zdrowia Adam Niedzielski poinformował, że od 17 maja osoby w wieku 16 i 17 lat będą mogły rejestrować się na szczepienie przeciwko COVID-19 preparatem Pfizer/BioNTech. - Najpóźniej do piątku zostaną przedstawione szczegóły - zapowiedział.
Poland, a country of 38 million, has reported 2,842,339 cases of the coronavirus and 70,679 deaths. It has fully vaccinated over 3.8 million people.
Źródło: TVN24 News in English, Reuters
Źródło zdjęcia głównego: Shutterstock