Adam Niedzielski made the announcement at a news conference on Thursday, Polish state news agency PAP reported.
The health minister told reporters that the daily number of COVID-19 cases has hovered around 3,000 for the past three days.
He added: “Today we have 2,999 infections. It means a weekly increase of around 80 percent.”
Summer COVID-19 wave likely to peak in late August
Niedzielski said that “according to health ministry forecasts, the summer COVID-19 wave will culminate in the second half of August,” with daily infections “likely to reach 8,000-10,000.”
He added that hospital cases "currently totalled 1,100" and were likely to rise to around 3,000 "in the latter half of August."
However, Niedzielski said "the present hospital cases are less severe" than during previous waves, with 1 or 2 percent of patients being on ventilators, compared to some 10 percent previously.
Niedzielski told reporters: “Based on the experiences of other European countries, during this wave we are focusing on protecting people aged 60 or older, who are most at risk for serious infection, and those with impaired immunity.”
He added that "so far some 12 million Poles have received three doses of COVID-19 vaccines, while more than 100,000 have had four doses." The fourth dose has been available to immunocompromised people and those aged over 80.
Additional doses for at-risk groups from July 22
Niedzielski announced: “As of tomorrow, July 22, we are rolling out a second booster dose for people aged between 60 and 79 and additional vaccination for immunocompromised people aged 12 and older.”
He added that seniors would be advised to take a second booster dose 120 days after receiving the first; the same applies to those with impaired immunity.
This second group is now also recommended to take the first booster dose "90 days after basic vaccination, rather than 150 days after basic vaccination," Niedzielski said.
In May, Poland downgraded its classification of the COVID-19 pandemic, lifting "a state of epidemic" and announcing "a state of epidemic threat" instead.
(pm/gs)
Source: PAP, polsatnews.pl