The heads of the Ministry of Health and the Ministry of Education and Science announced at a joint press conference the most important changes in the strategy of fighting the Covid-19 pandemic including reducing the isolation period from 10 to 7 days, the complete elimination of quarantine after contact with an infected person, and the return of all students to school from February 21.

The Minister of Health, Adam Niedzielski, announced on February 11 suspending the after- contact- quarantine (i.e. after contact with an infected person will be eliminated); lifting the inbound quarantine for persons arriving from Schengen countries (except for persons without a covid certificate) and a 7-day inbound quarantine for persons from outside the Schengen area. From February 15, 7-day isolation will be necessary in the case of infection and quarantine for co-household members only during the isolation of a family member.

The head of the Ministry of Health also announced that the number of Covid beds will be reduced to approximately 25 thousand, and thus it will bring back approximately 5,000 beds for the regular health system. At the same press conference, the Minister of Education and Science, Przemysław Czarnek, announced that on February 21 all students will return to full-time education.

In Thursday’s announcement, the Ministry of Health informed about 42,095 coronavirus infections with 4,486 cases of reinfections. 79 people died due to COVID-19, 183 people died due to COVID-19 and other diseases. On the previous day, there were 46,872 new cases and 310 people died.

According to Minister Niedzielski, the apogee of the fifth wave of the epidemic is over, which is confirmed both in terms of the number of new infections and in terms of the number of tests, and February will be the month when a serious threat to the health care system will be finished.

Niedzielski confirmed that actually, Poles are dealing with the beginning of the end of the pandemic. He hopes that in March he will be able to make bold decisions to lift the restrictions or introduce more lenient regulations so that the citizens can turn back to the normal mode of operation in spring. “I was often a pessimist but, in this situation, I am an optimist”, – said Niedzielski.

Przemysław Czarnek, the minister of education and science announced that full-time education will return to all primary and secondary school classes a week earlier than planned, from February 21. “This is the definite end of remote lessons. I am convinced that children will be able to study in peace by the end of the school year” – assured the minister.

Arkadiusz Słomczyński