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Children wearing masks against COVID-19, Source: Depositphotos

Poland brings back masks amid COVID-19 surge

Poland brings back masks amid COVID-19 surge

There has been a notable summer wave of the infection in Europe and the USA

Remember those times when everyone was wearing masks, applying hand disinfectant and being careful to maintain social distancing? It feels like these things happened a whole eternity ago and people were more than eager to put them in the backs of their minds where we keep other unpleasant memories that we’d love to forget.

Well, not so fast, amigos, because COVID-19 is back – in fact, reminding us that it never really went away despite our best collective wishful thinking. Several countries, such as Greece, Belgium and the USA, have reported that there is a veritable summer wave of cases sweeping over thanks to a variety of factors. Among these are the new FLiRT variant of the virus, the increased travel and socializing rates in the warmest months of the year and the shrinking interest in vaccinations.

The latest news that reminds us that COVID is here to stay comes from Poland, whose Chief Sanitary Inspector, Dr Paweł Grzesiowski, announced that it is essential to once again recommend wearing masks and maintaining greater diligence in hand hygiene and surface disinfection.

Mandate for public offices and institutions

Similar to other European countries, Poland has experienced a surge in its detected COVID cases this summer, jumping fourfold between the end of July and August. And the data only accounts for tests ordered in hospitals and by doctors, excluding privately conducted test results.

According to Dr Grzesiowski, not only the rising number of positive tests but also the rising number of patients admitted to hospitals with complications from the virus have emphasized the need for the health authorities to act once again. Speaking to the Polish state news agency PAP, he promised that a joint statement on mask usage will soon be developed for government offices and institutions.

The Chief Sanitary Inspector believes this is only the start of a wave whose peak is expected somewhere in October.

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