COVID-19 vaccination in Poland
Last update: October 12, 2021
COVID-19 vaccination in Poland – news & updates
- Data as of October 11: the number of fully vaccinated people in Poland: 19,600,000+. Here you will find the daily report on the number of vaccinations (in Polish: Liczba wykonanych szczepień). According to experts, population immunity can be achieved if 40 to 70 percent of the population is vaccinated, which is approximately 15 to 26 million people in Poland.
- From September 24, the third dose in Poland for people 50+ and medical staff. Anyone over the age of 50 will be able to receive an additional Pfizer vaccine 6 months after being fully vaccinated (starting from the day of the second dose). Registration for the third dose vaccination will start on September 24. Dose III (booster) is Pfizer, regardless of the vaccines used in previous doses.
- COVID-19 vaccinations in Poland will no longer be free? A spokesman for the Polish government in an interview on September 6, 2021 said that vaccination against COVID-19 will be possibly paid from next year, or from the last months of this year. Only certain professional or risk groups will be able to use free vaccines.
- A third dose of the COVID-19 vaccine. From September 1, a third dose of the vaccine will be administered to people who suffer from immune disorders. These include people who are receiving anti-cancer treatment, people who are transplant recipients who are taking immunosuppressants, people who have had a stem cell transplant within the next two years, people with severe or moderate immunodeficiencies, people who are HIV positive, people who take specialized medications which can suppress the immune response and people on dialysis. The Minister of Health announced that when it comes to vaccination with the third dose of the remaining groups, Poland is waiting for the opinion of the European Medicines Agency.
Other changes in regulations regarding COVID-19 vaccination in Poland
- Possibility of vaccination with the second dose at any vaccination point in Poland. From July 1, all people who took the first dose of the COVID-19 vaccination can take the second dose anywhere in Poland. Previously, the rule was that the second dose of the COVID-19 vaccination would be given at the same vaccination point as the first dose. The change in regulations is to facilitate vaccinations for people going on vacation.
- The definition of a fully vaccinated person – full vaccination will be considered 14 days after the end of the vaccination process.
- Vaccinating children from the age of 12 with the Pfizer vaccine from June 7. Poland starts vaccinating children from the age of 12 on June 7. For now, children 12+ can be vaccinated at vaccination points, in September it is planned to start vaccinations in schools.
- From May 17, 16 and 17-year-olds are able to register in Poland for the vaccination against coronavirus (the Pfizer vaccine). Parents or legal guardians will have to consent to vaccination but their presence will not be necessary at the vaccination point.
- Change in regulations – vaccination of people who have been tested positive for covid-19. From May 17, people who have been tested positive for covid-19 can be vaccinated 30 days after receiving a positive test for coronavirus. Previously, you had to wait 90 days.
- There are currently 4 COVID-19 vaccines in Poland: Pfizer/BioNTech, Moderna, AstraZeneca, Johnson & Johnson (a single-dose vaccine).
“EU Digital COVID certificate” available in Poland from June 1
- “EU Digital COVID certificate” (travel certificate) will facilitate safe free movement of citizens in the European Union.
- The Certificate is available in Poland from June 1. It will become available in all EU member states as of July 1, 2021.
- The Certificate includes proof that a person has either been vaccinated against COVID-19; received a negative test result (PCR tests or antigen tests); recovered from COVID-19.
- The Certificate is available in two languages – Polish and English.
- The Certificate can be obtained on paper at vaccination centers or from the doctor / nurse at the clinic (in the case of a person who recovered from COVID-19 and a person with a negative Covid-19 test result).
- The Certificate can be downloaded starting from June 1 from your Online Patient Account (Internetowe Konto Pacjenta: https://pacjent.gov.pl/internetowe-konto-pacjenta). You log in using the trusted profile (profil zaufany) created by your bank account. People who have an online bank account at cooperative banks, PKO Bank Polski, Bank Pekao, Inteligo, BOŚ Bank can log in with the same data as they log into their online bank account. Select the “Certificates” tab (Certyfikaty), and then click “Download QR code” (Pobierz kod QR).
- The Certificate can be downloaded after June 25 from applications: mojeIKP application or mObywatel application.
- The Certificate can be downloaded only by people who:
- are fully vaccinated – either have received two doses of vaccination or have received a single dose of vaccine. The certificate is valid from 14 to 365 days after the last dose has been administered
- have been tested negative for coronavirus (the certificate is valid for 48 hours)
- have recovered from COVID-19 (the certificate is valid from the 11th to the 180th day after obtaining a positive test result).
- The certificate is free, valid in all EU and Schengen zone countries, available in a national language and English. It can be digital or paper.
- The Certificate will recognize all COVID-19 vaccines authorized by the European Medicines Agency (Pfizer/BioNTech, Moderna, Oxford/AstraZeneca, Johnson & Johnson). Member states will also be free to accept other vaccines.
- More in English about the Certificate.
Vaccinations of foreigners in Poland
If you do NOT have a PESEL number and you have the right of residence in Poland because you work, study or your family is here:
- Then ask your primary care physician (lekarz podstawowej opieki zdrowotnej) to issue you an e-referral (e-skierowanie) for vaccination.
- If you do not have a primary care physician assigned, go to the clinic and sign up (the clinic will assign you a primary care doctor who can provide you with an e-referral). More about the healthcare system in Poland in our post.
- Then sign up for vaccination for a specific date.
- The primary health care physician has the right and should issue you an e-referral for vaccination via the “gabinet.gov.pl” application. When issuing a referral, in the field “patient data”, the physician should select “other identifier” (instead of “PESEL number”) and enter the number of the identity document you use. Ideally, it should be a passport number or a foreign ID card.
- Do not forget to bring the identity document, the number of which you have given to the doctor, to the vaccination. Remember to use exactly the same document that was used to issue your e-referral at each stage of the vaccination process.
All foreigners who have the right to stay in Poland have access to free vaccination against COVID-19 in Poland, including:
- a person studying in Poland,
- a foreign PhD student,
- a foreigner with a work permit,
- a diplomat,
- a spouse or child of one of the abovementioned persons with the right to reside in Poland.
Foreigners who reside in Poland can be vaccinated in Poland on the same terms as Polish citizens. If you have a PESEL number, you can register for vaccination in accordance with the below instructions.
Source of information: https://pacjent.gov.pl/aktualnosc/e-skierowanie-na-szczepienie-dla-cudzoziemcow.
How can I register for vaccination in Poland?
- You can reserve a vaccination slot in 3 ways:
- Online: https://pacjent.erejestracja.ezdrowie.gov.pl/. With fast registration (Rejestracja bez Profilu Zaufanego) you enter your name, PESEL number, and phone number. With full registration (Rejestracja przez Profil Zaufany) you log in using the trusted profile (profil zaufany) created by your bank account. People who have an online bank account at cooperative banks, PKO Bank Polski, Bank Pekao, Inteligo, BOŚ Bank can log in with the same data as they log into their online bank account.
- Through the free hotline number 989 (24/7).
- Contacting directly a vaccination center (here you will find the list/map of vaccination centers in Poland: https://www.gov.pl/web/szczepimysie/mapa-punktow-szczepien#/.
- When going for vaccination, it is recommended that foreigners have a passport with them and a notification granting a PESEL number (powiadomienie o nadaniu numeru PESEL), unless they have a residence card in which the PESEL number is entered.
- You will not receive an e-referral for vaccination if you have tested positive for coronavirus in the last 30 days. It will appear in your Online Patient Account (Internetowe Konto Pacjenta: https://pacjent.gov.pl/internetowe-konto-pacjenta) later.
- You do not need to register yourself, another person can do it for you, if they have your data. You can also register, for example, your partner with one phone call.
Who can currently book a vaccination slot in Poland? When will I get an e-referral and be able to register for a specific date of vaccination against COVID-19?
- From June 1 – everyone over the age of 12 will have e-referrals issued and will be able to register for a specific date of vaccination against COVID-19.
- Vaccinations in Poland are free and voluntary.
Privileges for the vaccinated person
- Information on vaccination will be stored in a special system and will allow for vaccination verification (including a QR code that will allow you to quickly confirm the vaccination).
- Vaccinated people will be able to use public health services without additional testing.
- Vaccinated people will not count towards the limits on social events.
- Vaccinated people will not have to be quarantined if they come into contact with someone infected with the coronavirus.
- The government will consider the possibility of introducing further solutions exempting the vaccinated persons from selected restrictions.
Click here to read our post on current covid restrictions in Poland.
Click here to read our post about quarantine in Poland: Coronavirus quarantine and isolation rules in Poland.
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