The leader of Poland’s ruling party has announced that people who have not been vaccinated against COVID-19 should expect to be subject to certain restrictions.
Jarosław Kaczyński – who as chairman of Law and Justice (PiS) is the country’s de facto leader – told the Polish Press Agency (PAP) that the state had an “obligation to do everything it can” to protect against the disease. This would include “both incentives for vaccination as well as more rigorous steps”.
Asked if this meant putting restrictions on those who are unwilling to vaccinate, Kaczyński said: “Yes, they can expect restrictions.” He accused such people of being “extremely selfish” and “lacking empathy”.
For more on the government's strategy for dealing with a potential fourth wave of the virus, including reintroducing restrictions in areas with the lowest vaccination rates, see our report from last week https://t.co/fFL9SH5dGM
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The PiS leader rejected the argument that such people have the right to exercise personal freedom of choice. “The limits of freedoms are [when they impact on] the rights of other people,” said Kaczyński. “One cannot expose others to the loss of life or health.”
He also declared that the government’s policies in this area should be “guided by the good of the people”, and not be based upon avoiding “falling foul of a group of voters”.
Like many other countries, Poland has recently seen a growth in the activity of anti-vaccine groups. On Saturday, thousands of people marched against compulsory vaccination in the city of Katowice. Some vaccination points have been attacked.
The country’s vaccine rollout, which initially proceeded at roughly the same rate as the European Union average, has since mid-June fallen significantly behind. The government admits there has been a “very concerning” decline in registrations.
It has sought to counter this with incentives to vaccinate, including a lottery with a one million zloty (€222,000) top prize. But senior figures have increasingly talked of using sticks as well as carrots.
Last month, deputy prime minister Jarosław Gowin said that he would personally favour the “French solution” of requiring proof of vaccination or a negative COVID-19 test result to access some venues.
The health minister, Adam Niedzielski, has also revealed that, if and when a fourth wave of the virus hits Poland, the government intends to introduce restrictions in areas that have the lowest vaccination rates.
Public opinion on the issue appears divided. A poll last month found that a narrow majority (54%) of Poles thought there should be some restrictions on people who have not been vaccinated.
However, a new survey by IBP for Super Express found a similar proportion (52%) opposed to a French-style system.
Main image credit: Piotr Skornicki / Agencja Gazeta
Maria Wilczek is deputy editor of Notes from Poland. She is a regular writer for The Times, The Economist and Al Jazeera English, and has also featured in Foreign Policy, Politico Europe, The Spectator and Gazeta Wyborcza.
