Parties agree on range of Covid counter-measures

The parliamentary clubs and caucuses of the Polish parliament have struck an agreement on measures to fight the pandemic, a deputy health minister announced on Friday.

Waldemar Kraska told journalists after the meeting in the Sejm (lower house of parliament), that representatives of the country's various political factions had agreed on a vaccine compensation fund, free tests for professional groups who come into contact with people, and allowances for non-medical professions employed in the fight against Covid-19.

"First of all, there was agreement from everybody that we should introduce a law on a Compensation Fund," Kraska said. "This bill will be sent to the Sejm on Monday. It will be a bill only about this fund, there will be no additional things placed within this bill.

"All the parties agreed it was very important that those people who are wavering over whether to get vaccinated or not have hard proof that if there are any undesirable side-effects they will have some sort of compensation," he continued.

The professions qualifying for free tests will include health services, education, administration and public transport personnel. Under the regulations, workers from these groups can "have a free test at their request," Kraska explained.

The third agreement concerned financial allowances for non-medical staff working in Covid wards. "It concerns personnel involved in the therapeutic process, so orderlies, administrators and secretaries," he said.