Poland's Health Ministry informed on Thursday about 16,878 new cases of coronavirus infection and 481 COVID-related deaths. Since the start of the pandemic Poland has reported 4,265,433 COVID-19 infections and 101,419 deaths related to the disease. Government spokesman Piotr Müller told TVN24 about prime minister's approach to the question of introducing vaccination duty for teachers, and a project of allowing employers to demand COVID tests from employees.
Government spokesman Piotr Müller announced Thursday's coronavirus data in a morning interview for TVN24. According to Health Ministry's report released shortly after, the highest number of infections were recorded in the Masovian Voivodeship - 2,909.
Last week on Thursday, the ministry reported 16,576 new infections which means that today's number is higher by 302 cases (1.8%).
The average number of daily infections calculated based on data from the last 7 days has increased up to 12,307 cases, which is 43 cases more than on Wednesday.
The 7-day average number of deaths has decreased to 301, which is 24 cases less than the previous day.
The ministry also said on Thursday that out of 481 COVID patients who died within the last 24 hours, 343 had pre-existing diseases.
Since the start of the pandemic Poland has reported 4,265,433 COVID-19 infections and 101,419 deaths related to the disease.
Government spokesman on mandatory vaccination for teachers
Asked about the prime minister's standpoint on mandatory vaccinations for teachers, Piotr Müller replied that Mateusz Morawiecki was "generally leaning towards partial imposition of this duty for occupational groups".
PM Morawiecki said on Tuesday that the government was not planning to introduce genaral and mandatory COVID-19 vaccinations, and that he would "at best" propose this solution for the most vulnerable professions, such as medics.
Asked if the prime minister was planning to discuss vaccination duty for teachers at the government meeting, the spokesman said that no such decision was made at that moment. "I didn't personally ask the prime minister about it," he explained.
To a remark that the government did not take any firm action regarding vaccination issues (lack of COVID passports verification duty, among others things), Müller said that "a year ago we didn't even have vaccination programme" (first vaccinations were carried out on December 27, 2020 - edit.). "Today, every citizen can still go and get vaccinated, and diametrically increase their protection," he added.
Müller: COVID verification duty is a "worldview question"
Piotr Müller was also asked to comment a draft legislation on COVID verification duty, put forward by PiS deputy Czesław Hoc. If passed, the bill would grant employers the right to ask employees to provide vaccination proof, COVID test result, or proof of COVID recovery.
The spokesmn said that the United Right coalition will not impose party discipline in the vote over the issue. He added that he was "certain that a landslide majority will back this project".
According to the government spokesman, the proposed legislation in a sense concerns worldview as "it introduces a duty for the people to act in a certain way with regards to an issue which is highly controversial".
He assured that personally he would vote in favour of the bill, and denied the government was paralysed by anti-vaccination circles.
Źródło: TVN24 News in English, tvn24.pl