President honours health care workers who lost their lives fighting Covid

President Andrzej Duda paid tribute to health care workers who sacrificed their lives in the fight against the coronavirus and to those who bravely continue to fight the epidemic every day.

"We want to pay tribute to all the workers of the Polish health service, as well as to all other people, including soldiers, officers and employees of various industries, who bravely fight the coronavirus every day," said the president during a World Health Day ceremony on Wednesday.

The Polish flag was lowered to half-mast in the courtyard of the Presidential Palace in Warsaw.

"These people battle directly with the virus in hospitals, ambulances and other medical facilities," Duda said. He also mentioned other employees, including store retailers, cashiers, and pharmacists, who are at high risk of exposure to the coronavirus.

Health ministry data show that, since the start of the epidemic in the spring of 2020 to March 29, 2021, the Covid-19 epidemic has led to the deaths of 138 Polish doctors, 131 nurses, 19 midwives, 16 dentists, 16 paramedics, 12 pharmacists and four assistant doctors.

Also, during that same period, 23,095 Polish doctors, 59,012 nurses, 5,833 midwives, 4,213 paramedics, 2,903 pharmacists, 2,403 dentists, 1,994 lab technicians and 36 assistant doctors have been infected with Covid-19.