Poland "very close" to complete lockdown says government advisor

A senior health advisor to the government has warned that Poland could face a total lockdown, if the daily rate of Covid-19 infections nears or exceeds 30,000.

"We are very close to a complete lockdown... We are starting to discuss it very seriously," Professor Andrzej Horban told Polsat News television, adding that it may happen "this or next week."

"It is very possible that if we will be approaching or clearly exceeding the 30,000 level this Wednesday or Thursday, then it will not only be a potential scenario, but a actual one," he continued.

Speculating when the third wave will peak, Horban, who is the prime minister's chief Covid-19 advisor, said that "it is difficult to say exactly when it will take place." He explained that it depends on many factors, including on the number of vaccinated people, compliance with sanitary safety rules, the efficiency of the health service and the weather.

However, he added that "the situation will begin to improve by the end of April or early May."

"At the end of May, we will be heading towards normality. So we will have to withstand the next two months," Horban said.