Vaccinations against COVID-19 in Poland will start at the end of December. And they arouse a lot of emotions. There are a lot of questions about vaccinations, and it's not hard to come across fake news online. Therefore, we present answers to frequently asked questions, based on the materials of the Ministry of He alth and the representative office of the European Commission in Poland.
Vaccinations against COVID-19for the so-called priority groups - i.e. doctors, pharmacists and paramedics - they will start at the end of December. Registration for vaccinations for people from outside these groups will start on January 15 - as announced by the Minister of He alth Adam Niedzielski, you can sign up via the hotline at 989, at your clinic or by completing an electronic form, available on websites related to the Ministry of He alth.
Many people wonder if vaccination is compulsory, how much will it cost, is it painful, and what to do if an undesirable vaccination occurs. Therefore, we present answers to frequently asked questions, prepared on the basis of information that can be found on the official website of the Ministry of He alth and the representative office of the European Commission in Poland.
Is vaccination compulsory? How much does it cost?
Vaccination is free and voluntary. Experts, however, urge you to get vaccinated, because only a vaccine can protect you from future pandemic waves - the more people receive it, the more effective it will be to protect the entire population. The strategic goal, included in the National Immunization Program, is to achieve a level of social security by the end of 2022 that will allow to control the pandemic while maintaining the highest safety standards.
Where can I get vaccinated?
Vaccinations will be carried out in primary he alth care facilities. According to the National Vaccination Program, the following will take place:
- stationary in POZ and AOS;
- in other stationary medical facilities;
- in mobile vaccination teams;
- in vaccination centers in reserve hospitals.
The list of all points will be announced shortly. A map with the list will be available at gov.pl/szczepimysieall vaccination points.
What will be the next steps in the vaccination process? Who will get vaccinated first?
Vaccinations will take place in several stages.
- Stage 0:he althcare workers (including individual practitioners), employees of Nursing Homes and Municipal Social Welfare Centers as well as auxiliary and administrative staff in medical facilities will be vaccinated , including sanitary and epidemiological stations;
- Stage 1:Inmates of social welfare homes and care and treatment facilities, nursing and care facilities and other places of stationary stay will be vaccinated, people over 60 years of age in order from the oldest, uniformed services, including the Polish Army, teachers;
- Stage 2:people under 60 years of age with chronic diseases that increase the risk of severe COVID-19 will be vaccinated, or during diagnosis and treatment requiring repeated or continuous contact with he alth care facilities, people directly ensuring the functioning of the basic activities of the state and exposed to infection due to frequent social contacts;
- Stage 3:entrepreneurs and employees of closed sectors will be vaccinated under the regulations on the establishment of certain restrictions, orders and bans in connection with the occurrence of an epidemic. General vaccinations of the rest of the adult population will also be carried out.
What kind of doctor can make a referral for vaccination?
A referral for vaccination against COVID-19 can be issued by any doctor with access to the website www.office.gov.pl, regardless of whether or not he has a contract with the National He alth Fund.
Will vaccinated people get a vaccination certificate?
Yes. Each person who undergoes the full course of vaccination (in the case of a two-dose vaccination - after vaccination with the second dose of the vaccine) will receive a vaccination certificate enabling the use of the prepared facilities. The receipt of the vaccine will also be confirmed by a special system that will allow the vaccination to be verified (including a QR code that will allow you to quickly confirm the vaccination). Information about the completed vaccination will also be entered in the e-Vaccination Card in the P1 system.
Will it be possible to get vaccinated at home? How will the elderly and disabled be able to vaccinate?
There will be such a possibility, in each commune there will be at least one mobile vaccination point intended for people who are not able to reach a stationary vaccination point on their own.It will also be possible to get vaccinated in the place of residence or stay.
Should people who have already suffered from COVID-19 also get vaccinated?
According to the CDC (Center for Disease Control and Prevention) and PHE (Public He alth England), having the disease is not a contraindication for vaccination.
Is vaccination safe for allergy sufferers?
According to the general rules on vaccination, an anaphylactic reaction after administration of the COVID-19 vaccine is a contraindication to vaccination, as well as a severe allergic reaction to the active substance or other component of the vaccine. The final decision to qualify for vaccination is made by the doctor on the basis of an individual he alth assessment.
What does vaccination look like? Is vaccination painful?
Vaccination is exactly the same as any other vaccination - e.g. flu vaccination. The first stage is qualification for vaccination by a doctor. The vaccine is administered only when it decides that there are no contraindications for vaccination. It takes the form of an injection into the deltoid muscle.
Will there be any traces of vaccination?
As with any injection, there is a slight trace of the injection after vaccination. There may be a slight pain and swelling at the injection site. Pain at the injection site is listed among the side effects that may occur after vaccination.
What to do if adverse reactions appear after vaccination?
If undesirable symptoms appear after vaccination, immediately contact the doctor of the clinic where the vaccination was performed.
Who will be responsible for Adverse Vaccination Effects? Will there be any compensation?
There are plans to create a compensation fund for people who experience such reactions, and the detailed rules of its operation will be specified in a separate act.
What should be avoided after vaccination?
As we read on the ministry's website, general vaccination rules apply to vaccination against COVID-19. So there are no special recommendations - for example, to avoid physical activity or bathing. The person who has been vaccinated makes the decision based on their well-being and general state of he alth
Probe