Poland Now Requires Arrivals From Non-Schengen Area Countries to Undergo Quarantine
Poland has decided to introduce a ten-day mandatory quarantine requirement for all persons arriving from a country outside the Schengen Area, Deputy Health Minister Waldemar Kraska has revealed.
Such a decision was made in order to prevent the spread of the COVID-19 Delta variant within the country and entered into force on June 23, SchengenVisaInfo.com reports.
“Currently, we can already see an increase in the share of new mutations of coronavirus among registered cases in Poland. The delta variant has also appeared in our country, but so far, it is only a few dozen cases. However, the situation related to new coronavirus mutations is dynamic,” Kraska said, commenting on the new decision.
Through a press conference, the Minister said that Delta variant infections have already been reported in Poland.
Following the new measures, all persons entering Poland from a country outside the Schengen Area are obliged to stay self-isolated for ten days.
Everyone who is subject to such a regulation will be able to shorten the quarantine period by providing a negative Coronavirus test result carried out after seven days of arrival.
However, it was noted that the quarantine requirement does not apply to those who have been fully vaccinated against the COVID-19 with one of the vaccines authorised by the European Medicines Agency (EMA).
Exempt from the quarantine requirement are also children under the age of 12 travelling together with their parents who present a negative test result or have been vaccinated against the virus.
“Persons who quarantine and receive a negative test result within the first 48 hours after crossing the border are then released from quarantine (this option applies to travellers who have obtained a positive test result at the airport upon arrival in Poland or have not been tested at the airport),” the statement of the Government reads.
Air transport crew members, persons importing goods and people, persons carrying national and political duties, and persons involved in the armed forces are also exempted from such requirements.
Earlier this week, the Polish Government announced that since June 19, all persons arriving from the United States, Georgia, Japan, Canada, New Zealand, Thailand, South Korea, Tunisia, Australia, and Israel via international airports are allowed entry into the country.
Arrivals from the countries mentioned above can enter Poland’s territory as long as they present a negative COVID-19 test result. It was emphasised that travellers themselves should cover the test expenses as they are not financed by public funds.
