What will reopen and when?

Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki spoke about this during a press conference. From 18 May hair salons and beauty salons will reopen (under sanitary restrictions)

Restaurants will partially reopen. – We encourage you to open outdoor seating areas. It is safer outdoors – the prime minister said.

Official government announcement

Economic activity – beauty and hair salons and restaurants reopen

We are thawing the food-service sector and beauty salons. From 18 May, we will be able to:

  • use the services of beauticians and hairdressers,
  • eat in a restaurant, café or bar, as well as in a shopping centre (in a designated food-service area).

Important! Guests will be able to eat both inside the dining area and in the restaurant’s outdoor seating area.

The full reopening of the food-service industry must take place under strict sanitary guidelines that ensure the safety of both staff and customers. These rules were established in consultations with representatives of the respective industries.

Recommendations for beauty salons include, among other things:

  • customers and staff must wear masks, goggles or face shields (at a hairdresser’s, and in a beauty salon if the treatment permits);
  • using disposable towels whenever possible;
  • accepting customers only after an appointment has been made by telephone or online.

Attention! Customers may not wait for a service in the waiting room.

Requirements and recommendations for food-service establishments include, among other things:

  • a limit on the number of people in the premises (there must be at least 4 sq. m per person);
  • disinfecting the table after each customer;
  • maintaining a distance of 2 m between tables. Important! Tabletops may be 1 m apart provided that the tables are additionally separated by partitions at least 1 m higher than the tabletop;
  • maintaining a distance of 1.5 m from guests seated at separate tables;
  • chefs and food-service staff must wear masks and gloves.
Important! Restaurant guests may remove their masks once they are seated at their tables. […].

Social life – care in schools for the youngest children, consultations with teachers and changes to public transport

CARE AND EDUCATION (from 18 May, 25 May and 1 June)

There will be changes in the area of care and education. From 18 May, the following classes may be held:

  • practical classes at post-secondary schools,
  • rehabilitation and education classes, early developmental support and specialist rehabilitation.

On Monday, 18 May, institutions and facilities with accommodation and care-and-education activities will also reopen. These include, for example, youth hostels, sports centres and community centres.

From 25 May, we will allow:

  • care and education classes for grades 1–3 of primary school,
  • consultations with teachers at schools for final-year secondary students and eighth-grade students, primarily in subjects taken in examinations. Consultations may be held individually or in small groups.

Important! We are extending the care allowance for parents of children under 8.

From 1 June – consultations with teachers at schools for the remaining students in all subjects.

Important! From 17 May, children under 13 will be allowed to leave home without adult supervision!

PUBLIC TRANSPORT (from 18 May)

We are increasing the passenger limit on public transport. As a result, from 18 May more people will be able to travel simultaneously by bus, metro or tram. Public transport operators will decide whether to use this option.

How many people will be allowed on board? As many as half the number of seats (as currently), or 30% of the total number of seats and standing places (in the latter case, however, half of the seats must remain vacant).

Example: If a bus has 30 seats and 70 standing places (100 in total), 30 people may travel on it at the same time. Half of the seats must remain vacant. Previously, 15 people could board such a bus.

RELIGIOUS CEREMONIES (from 17 May)

We are also easing restrictions on worshippers’ presence in places of worship and at other religious ceremonies. From Sunday, 17 May, during a Mass or another rite, there must be 10 sq. m per participant. Previously, there had to be 15 sq. m per person.

SPORT (from 18 May)

On Monday, 18 May, we will increase the limits on the number of people who may exercise at outdoor sports facilities:

  • stadiums, fields, ski jumps, tracks, Orlik pitches and skateparks – a maximum of 14 people (+ 2 coaches);
  • outdoor full-size football pitches – a maximum of 22 people (+ 4 coaches).

Attention! We are also introducing the possibility of dividing a football pitch into two halves separated by a safety buffer. If a 5-metre buffer zone is set aside, up to 16 people + 3 coaches may be on one half at the same time. In total, under this arrangement, 32 people (+ 6 coaches) may be on a full-size football pitch.

From 18 May, we will also allow activities to be organised in indoor facilities. The following numbers may exercise simultaneously in sports rooms and halls:

  • 12 people + a coach (in facilities up to 300 sq. m),
  • 16 people + 2 coaches (in facilities from 301 to 800 sq. m),
  • 24 people + 2 coaches (in facilities from 801 to 1,000 sq. m),
  • 32 people + 3 coaches (in facilities over 1,000 sq. m).

Important! In indoor facilities, changing rooms and sanitary facilities may not be used, except for toilets. Equipment must be disinfected after each session.

CULTURE (from 18 May)

Restrictions will also be eased in the cultural sphere. From 18 May, the following will be possible, among other things:

  • operations of outdoor cinemas (including drive-ins),
  • resuming work on film sets (subject to sanitary restrictions),
  • resuming phonographic and audiovisual recordings at cultural institutions,
  • individual classes at arts universities,
  • resuming rehearsals and practice sessions.

More information is available on the Ministry of Culture’s website.

UNIVERSITIES (from 25 May)

We also want to restore the possibility of holding the following at universities:

  • classes for students in the final years of study,
  • classes that cannot be conducted remotely.

The return to classes also applies to doctoral education and classes held, for example, in laboratories and medical simulation centres.

Attention! Detailed regulations and additional guidelines concerning the new rules will be set out in a regulation that will soon be submitted for consultation.

Border controls extended until 12 June

We are also extending border controls at the internal borders with Germany, Lithuania, the Czech Republic and Slovakia by another 30 days – from 14 May to 12 June 2020. As before, the border may be crossed only at designated locations. Controls will also continue to be carried out at seaports and airports […].

What about the matura and eighth-grade examinations?

Minister of National Education Dariusz Piontkowski announced that details on this matter would be presented at a separate press conference in a few days.

Minister of Health Łukasz Szumowski said that the situation related to the epidemic in Poland was improving, but immediately added:

I appeal for strict adherence to these rules.