WARSAW: Warsaw restaurateur Marcin Wojtasik says he is willing to face bad reviews from anti-vaxxers to help protect his staff from COVID-19 by admitting only vaccinated customers.
"It was a very unpopular decision, there were some very strong reactions," Wojtasik, 50, whose Yatta Ramen eatery specialises in Japanese cuisine, told Reuters. "But not for our usual customers. They've taken it very well."
He is one of a number of businesses in Poland taking matters into their own hands, barring all unvaccinated visitors without any state mandate to do so, as new daily COVID-19 infections exceed 30,000 amidst a relatively soft government response to the pandemic compared with many other European countries.
Only about 56% of Poles have been fully vaccinated against COVID-19, well below the European Union average. Less than a third have received a third booster shot, with many regions in the south and east showing very low vaccination rates among a widely sceptical population.
Under current rules, venues such as restaurants and bars can provide up to 30% of their capacity to unvaccinated people, and with infections soaring, the government has drawn criticism from doctors for not imposing stricter curbs on social activity.
Thirteen of 17 members of Poland's Medical Council advising the prime minister on COVID-19 resigned on Friday, condemning what they said was a lack of scientific influence on policy.
Some of the advisers told Reuters they quit in part because of the government's refusal to implement rules such as those introduced in France, where customers are asked to show their vaccine certificates in restaurants, cafes and other places.
Professor Robert Flisiak, one departing adviser, said such policies were proven to raise vaccination rates. "We could increase the number of those vaccinated by 10%, which would at least help us meet the EU's average rate," he said.
He praised restaurateurs taking tougher action. "Of course they face hate and ostracism, even aggression, so of course it's very courageous of them amidst a lack of legal support from the state."
Konstanty Szuldrzynski, another departing medical adviser, accused the right-wing ruling party of pandering to a vaccine-sceptic voter base and tying the health ministry's hands.
"The government knows very well what they need to do. The fact that it isn't taking action isn't tied to bad intentions but to a lack of political support from its base."
Poland's government has said it often had to deal with opposing opinions from various bodies, not just those of its advisers. It said the council's ways of functioning would change, without elaborating.
Wojtasik, the restaurateur, said he hopes the self-imposed restrictions at his eartery will at least play a small part in limiting the harm caused by COVID-19.
"Some of my friends died, people who were younger than me. I know this (virus) is a real risk that you can't underestimate."
Reuters
Fri Jan 21 2022
People sit and eat at Karczma Obrochtowka restaurant, amid the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic, in Zakopane, Poland. - REUTERS
Kumpulan kedua petugas haji, 14 pengamal media berlepas ke Arab Saudi hari ini
Dua editor Astro AWANI, Azlinariah Abdullah dan Azlinda Md Salim antara pengamal media yang akan mengadakan liputan haji tahun ini.
Keterangkuman kewangan lonjakkan ekonomi digital, tanpa tunai
Pengarah Eksekutif Kiple, Norhizam Abdul Kadir dalam perbincangan dalam usaha menggalakkan pembangunan ekonomi, pengurangan kemiskinan, dan kesaksamaan sosial dengan menyediakan peluang kepada orang ramai untuk membina aset, menguruskan risiko, dan meningkatkan kesejahteraan kewangan, tanpa mengira tahap pendapatan, lokasi, jantina, umur, atau ciri-ciri lain.
Borussia Dortmund buat PSG terkedu
Penyerang itu mengawal bola dengan sempurna sebelum melakukan rembatan rendah melepasi penjaga gol Gianluigi Donnarumma pada minit ke-36.
AWANI Pagi: Perkhidmatan Awam: Gaji naik, produktiviti meningkat?
Susulan pengumuman Perdana Menteri atas kenaikan gaji penjawat awam.
Ramai yang tertanya-tanya adakah ini menjadi satu motivasi kepada produktiviti perkhidmatan yang semakin bertambah baik.
Ikuti diskusi AWANI Pagi bagi membincangkan topik ini.
Ramai yang tertanya-tanya adakah ini menjadi satu motivasi kepada produktiviti perkhidmatan yang semakin bertambah baik.
Ikuti diskusi AWANI Pagi bagi membincangkan topik ini.
Penjawat Awam: Gaji naik, pacu perkhidmatan berkualiti kepada rakyat
Pelarasan gaji penjawat awam itu akan membabitkan peruntukan mencecah lebih RM10 bilion berikutan jumlah kenaikan yang besar dan terbaik dalam sejarah negara. Bagaimana untuk memastikan kenaikan gaji penjawat awam memberi manfaat yang seimbang kepada pengurusan, penyampaian perkhidmatan kerajaan serta ekonomi negara?
ADUN Sungai Bakap stabil, masih di ICU
'YB Abang Zam' masih memerlukan rawatan dan rehat yang cukup serta tidak dibenarkan menerima pelawat buat masa ini.
AWANI Ringkas: Papagomo didakwa hari ini
Ikuti rangkuman berita utama yang menjadi tumpuan sepanjang hari di Astro AWANI menerusi AWANI Ringkas.
EPL: Bruno Fernandes beri bayangan tinggalkan Manchester United
"Jika saya perlu berfikir untuk tidak terus berada di EPL maka ia tidak akan berlaku sehingga selepas saingan EURO nanti."
Budak autistik ditemukan lemas jatuh Sungai Skudai
Mangsa ditemukan oleh anggota unit PPDA pada jarak 130 meter dari lokasi mangsa dilaporkan jatuh dengan kedalaman empat meter.
WEF: Where will semiconductors land?
Semiconductors are an essential component in the digital age, powering everything from toys and cars, to banking and defense systems. While 90% of today’s chip manufacturing is based in Asia, new industrial policies and export restrictions are attempting to reshape the geographic balance of these supply chains. As new players enter the game, where will the future of semiconductors lead?
Kumpulan akhir terkandas di Ukraine berlepas ke tanah air pada Isnin
Kumpulan terakhir rakyat Malaysia yang berjaya dibawa keluar dari negara itu pada Sabtu selepas terkandas di Ukraine dijadual berlepas dari Warsaw ke tanah air pada Isnin.
Ahli geologi temui ratusan tapak kaki dinosaur
Dalam kesan tapak kaki yang ditinggalkan oleh dinosaur, anda boleh membaca perihal tingkah laku dan tabiat.
COVID-19: Jururawat penerima vaksin pertama di Poland
Ia merupakan merupakan sebahagian kempen vaksinasi di Eropah yang bermula pada Ahad.
Beauty with brains! Sanjna Suri wakil Malaysia ke Miss Supranational 2018
Gadis kelahiran Ipoh, Perak, Sanjna Suri, 26, bakal mewakili Malaysia untuk pertandingan ratu cantik Miss Supranational 2018 di Warsaw, Poland pada Disember nanti.