Lower house hears gov't coronavirus report

The Sejm (lower house) on Monday heard a government report on precautions taken against the spreading coronavirus. The government gave its assurance that all national services were prepared to combat the virus if it appeared in Poland.

The report on the coronavirus situation was presented by the prime minister, the health minister, the infrastructure minister and the interior minister. MPs from Poland's ruling party Law and Justice (PiS) said that all appropriate services were prepared to deal with the coronavirus threat and appealed to politicians not to use the situation for political ends.

According to the opposition, the government was failing to provide sufficient information about necessary procedures in case of a coronavirus epidemic. Opposition MPs also voiced doubts about the government's ability to provide sufficient medication for patients.

Sejm deputy speaker and an opposition presidential candidate Małgorzata Kidawa-Błońska complained that the government was informing about the coronavirus situation "very sparsely." Borys Budka, the new head of main opposing party Civic Platform (PO), accused the government of concentrating on internal political battles, instead of tackling "issues of importance to Poles."

Health Minister Łukasz Szumowski reported that eleven labs throughout Poland were currently equipped to run coronavirus tests, adding that their number could be raised, if necessary. He added that, as yet, there were no reports of delayed medical supplies from China.

Interior Minister Mariusz Kamiński said special procedures for handling those persons suspected of having coronavirus have been introduced at Poland's air and rail terminals. He added that the border guard was also prepared to tackle the spread of coronavirus.

At the close of the debate, the house's deputy speaker Ryszard Terlecki recommended the Sejm approve the report, which met with no objections.

President Andrzej Duda, on whose initiative the report was read in the Sejm, said at a press briefing on Monday that the most important part of the coronavirus precautions was infrastructure - equipment, hospital floorage and specialised staff.