Poland: Minister backs worker COVID documents as cases rise

WARSAW, Poland (AP) — Poland’s health minister has spoken in favor of making COVID-19 certificates mandatory for employees. The country is reporting a surge in coronavirus infections, including over 30,000 new cases in 24 hours. Health Minister Adam Niedzielski said that 20% of the cases reported on Wednesday involve the highly contagious omicron variant. He says Poland has 31,000 hospital beds for COVID-19 patients, and the current infection rate poses a “great risk to the efficiency of the health care system.” Niedzielski backed a draft regulation that would require workers to show proof of vaccination or recovery from COVID-19 to their employers. He said the certificates, coupled with remote work when possible, were a better option than a lockdown.