"We're switching the red light to orange". Health minister announces end of state of epidemic

The state of epidemic in Poland has been in place for more than two years now - since March 20, 2020. On May 16 it will be lowered to the state of epidemic danger.

"We are heading towards an endemic state, that is a situation in which the virus is present among us, but it is not that dangerous anymore thanks to vaccination and a significant number of people who had gone through infection," minister Niedzielski said at a press conference on Friday (May 6).

He informed that the number of patients hospitalised due to COVID-19 was at a level of "approximately 1,100 people". "According to doctors, these aren't as severe cases as those with the Delta variant. Hospitalisation time is much shorter now," he added.

The minister stipulated that lifiting of the state of epidemic did not mean the end of the pandemic, "but - symbolically speaking - switching of the red light in the indicator, which has been lit for two years, to the orange light, which indicates that the risk and danger are still present, but the situation is going in the right direction".

"The situation we will have at our hands - and here I mean the state of epidemic danger - on the one hand allows to keep a certain legislative readiness to introduce various solutions, like those from the time of the state of epidemic, but at the same time we are sending a very important message that the situation and our risk assessment in this situation have largely improved," Niedzielski explained.

He added, however, that "the real test that will show where we are at with the epidemic will be September, as then we can expect increased transmission due to return to schools and work". "That's why we will keep this state of danger at least until September," the minister said.