Dear Students,
Enclosed below please find the current rules and restrictions consequent upon the coronavirus epidemic – tightening of current restrictions as of 31st March 2020.
Very important – please read and follow the instructions.
There are high penalties for not following the guidelines – from five thousand PLN, and in extreme cases penalty of imprisonment.
Penalties will be strictly enforced by the police.
Current rules and restrictions
31.03.2020
We are fighting coronavirus – help us too! In order to stop the spread of the epidemic, we must follow specific recommendations. We gathered them in one place. Read and follow.
1. RESTRICTIONS REGARDING MOVEMENT
The restriction applies to: moving, traveling, being in public places.
What does it consist of? Leaving the house should be kept to an absolute minimum, and the distance from other pedestrians should be at least 2 meters.
You can move around in cases of:
• travel to and from work (this also applies to the purchase of goods and services related to professional activity),
• volunteering to fight COVID-19 (this applies to helping people in quarantine or people who should not leave the house),
• dealing with matters necessary for everyday life (which includes, for example, necessary shopping, buying medicine, visiting a doctor, caring for relatives).
Valid until: April 11, 2020
Important! You can only move in a group of up to two people – only families are removed from this restriction and can move in larger groups.
Important! 2 meters – is the minimum distance between pedestrians
We are introducing the obligation to maintain a distance of at least 2 meters between pedestrians. This also applies to families and loved ones.
Excluded from this obligation are:
• parents with children who need care (up to 13 years old),
• as well as disabled persons and persons unable to move independently and their carers.
2. PROHIBITION FOR MINORS GOING OUTSIDE WITHOUT ADULT SUPERVISION
The restriction concerns: persons up to 18 years of age staying outside the home without adult supervision
What does it consist of? Children and adolescents under 18 years of age cannot leave the house unattended. Only the presence of a parent, legal guardian or adult justifies their presence on the street and only in certain cases:
• travel to and from work,
• volunteering to fight COVID-19,
• or dealing with matters necessary for everyday life.
3. PROHIBITION OF THE USE OF PARKS, BEACHES, BOULEVARDS, PROMENADES AND CITY BIKES
The restriction applies to: staying in green areas with public functions. Therefore, the ban applies to parks, green areas, promenades, boulevards, botanical and zoological gardens, and playgrounds. The ban also covers beaches.
You will also not be able to use city bikes.
4. PUBLIC TRANSPORT
The restriction applies to: public transport journeys.
What does it consist of? Only half of the seats can be occupied on a bus, tram or subway. Ideally, every second seating position should be empty. If there are 70 seats in the vehicle, it can have a maximum of 35 people on board.
Valid until: April 11, 2020
5. CARS WITH MORE THAN 9-SEATS
The restriction applies to: journeys by cars with more than 9 seats and collective private transport.
What does it consist of? In a car with more than 9 seats, a maximum of half of the seats can be occupied.
Applicable: from April 2, 2020.
Important! The restriction does not apply to passenger cars.
6. PROHIBITION FOR ASSEMBLIES AND PARTIES
The restriction applies to: organizing all forms of meetings, gatherings, assemblies or events.
What does it consist of? All gatherings, meetings, events and assemblies of more than 2 persons are prohibited. This restriction does not apply to meetings with loved ones.
Workplaces are excluded.
However, employers will need to provide additional security measures for their employees. And so:
• individual work stations must be at least 1.5 meters apart,
• employees must wear gloves and have access to disinfectant fluids.
Important! The employer must provide these security measures from Thursday, April 2, 2020.
Valid until: April 11, 2020
7. COMMERCIAL CENTRES
The restriction concerns: the activities of shopping centres.
What does it consist of? Commercial activities in shopping malls can only be carried out by the following industries:
• food,
• cosmetics (except for products intended for perfuming or beautifying),
• toiletries and cleaning products,
• medical and pharmaceutical products,
• renovation and construction articles,
• press,
• animal supplies,
• fuels.
Valid until: until further notice.
Important! Medical, banking, insurance, postal, laundry or catering services (for deliveries and take-aways) can be provided in shopping centres. In the shopping centre, however, the so-called commercial islands are excluded.
8. NUMBER OF CUSTOMERS IN THE STORE, MARKET AND POST
The restriction concerns: the number of customers staying at one time in the store, at the market and post office
What does it consist of?
• Shops and services
A maximum of as many people as the number of all cash registers or payment points multiplied by 3 can enter each store (both small and large area shops). This means that if there are 5 cash registers in the store, then only 15 customers may be on the premises at any given time.
• Hours for seniors
From 10:00 to 12:00, stores and services can only accept and serve people over 65 years of age. At other times, shops and commercial outlets are available to everyone. Including for persons over 65 years of age.
• Markets
A maximum of as many people as the number of commercial outlets multiplied by 3 can stay in the marketplace or bazaar. So if there are 20 such outlets in the local bazaar, a maximum of 60 clients can stay at one time.
• Post offices
There can be as many people on the premises as the number of service windows multiplied by 2. If there are 5 windows in the facility, then 10 people can be on the premises at one time.
9. LARGE AREA DIY SHOPS
What does it consist of? Large-scale DIY stores will be closed on the weekends.
10. HAIRDRESSERS, COSMETIC SALOONS AND TATTOO PARLOURS
The restriction applies to: closing all hair and cosmetic, tattoo and piercing salons.
What does it consist of? All hairdressers, cosmetic, tattoo and piercing salons are closed without exception. These services will also not be available outside salons – e.g. home visits are not an option.
Valid from: April 1
11. RELIGIOUS CELEBRATIONS
The restriction applies to: participation in religious events.
What does it consist of? No more than 5 people may participate in a mass or other religious rites at the same time – excluding those serving in the service (in the case of funerals – persons employed by the funeral parlour).
Valid until: April 11, 2020
Important! We encourage you to participate in religious events via television, radio or the Internet.
12. POLISH BORDERS
The restriction concerns: foreigners crossing the Polish borders
What does it consist of? The borders of our country can only be crossed by:
• Polish citizens,
• foreigners who are spouses or children of Polish citizens or remain under the constant care of Polish citizens,
• people who have a Polish Charter (Pole’s Card),
• diplomats,
• persons who have the right of permanent or temporary residence in Poland or a work permit,
• in particularly justified cases, the commander of the Border Guard facility – after obtaining the consent of the Commander-in-Chief of the Border Guard – may allow a foreigner to enter the territory of the Republic of Poland in accordance with the procedure specified in the Act of 12 December 2013 on foreigners (Journal of Laws of 2020 item 35),
• foreigners who run a means of transport used to transport goods.
Important! Cargo transport is operating normally.
Valid until: April 13, 2020
13. REMOTE TEACHING – ONLINE LESSONS
The restriction applies to: classes at schools and universities
Recommendations: All schools and universities in Poland are closed. Lessons and classes do not take place on the premises, but via the Internet using e-learning platforms. Distance lessons are conducted according to specific rules. Teachers and students can find teaching materials in line with the current core curriculum at www.gov.pl/zdalnelcje
| Portal Gov.pl/www.gov.pl |
.Valid until: April 10, 2020
Important! Parents of children under 8 years of age are entitled to additional care allowance in the event of the closing of a nurseries, kindergartens, schools or children’s clubs.
14. NURSERIES AND KINDERGARTENS
The restriction concerns: activities of nurseries, children’s clubs and kindergartens.
Recommendations: The activities of nurseries, children’s clubs and kindergartens are suspended. The issue of paying fees by the parents during their suspension should be regulated in the nursery statute as well as in the contract with the parents.
Valid until: April 10, 2020
Important! Parents of children under 8 years of age are entitled to additional care allowance in the event of the closing of a nursery, kindergarten, school or children’s club.
15. GASTRONOMY
The restriction concerns: operation of restaurants, cafes and bars.
Recommendations: All restaurants, cafes and bars can only provide take-out and delivery services. It is not possible to serve meals or drinks on the premises.
Valid until: cancellation.
16. CULTURE
The restriction concerns: the activities of cultural institutions
Recommendations: All cultural institutions remain closed. These include museums, art galleries, theatres, philharmonics, operas, cinemas, film clubs, libraries, archives and permanent cultural activities. Until April 10, 2020, classes at art schools are also suspended.
Valid until: cancellation.
Important! Gyms, swimming pools, fitness and dance clubs are also closed until further notice.
17. QUARANTINE
The restriction applies to: persons who:
• are coming back from abroad,
• have been in contact with the infected (or potentially infected) by coronavirus
• cross the border in order to work in the territory of a neighbouring country or in the territory of the Republic of Poland (from 27.03.2020),
• they live with a person who will be quarantined from April 1 (the provision enters into force on April 1, 2020 and applies to newly quarantined persons).
What does it consist of? The quarantine lasts 14 days. During this time:
• under no circumstances may you leave your home,
• walking the dog, going to the store or to the doctor are prohibited,
• if a quarantined person has close contacts with other people at home – they must also be quarantined,
• if you have symptoms of illness (malaise, fever, cough, shortness of breath), you must report this by phone to the sanitary and epidemiological station.
If a person subjected to quarantine is unable to spend their time at home, the voivodes have prepared quarantine facilities and this person will be able to go there.
Valid until: cancellation.
Important! As part of patrols, the police visit people who are quarantined and check whether they remain in their place of residence. The regulations allow for the possibility of imposing a financial penalty of up to 30,000 PLN for those who do not comply with quarantine. The decision as to the specific amount of the penalty is always individual.
Important! If you come back from abroad and you do not have the opportunity to spend quarantine at home, the voivodes have quarantine facilities.
Best regards,
Anna Szylhabel-Godala
Director of Administrative Center for Studies in English