Several thousand Polish truck drivers found themselves stuck at the port after France closed its border on Monday due to a new, highly contagious coronavirus strain detected in the UK.
France later reopened the border, but only allowed those with a negative coronavirus test.
The British authorities said that all drivers would be tested as soon as possible, but it would take time to roll out the tests to some of the 8,000-10,000 truckers stranded in the area, according to a report by the Reuters news agency.
The Polish team deployed to Dover includes healthcare professionals from a Warsaw hospital run by the interior ministry, state news agency PAP reported, citing Health Minister Adam Niedzielski.
The Polish prime minister's top aide, Michał Dworczyk, said: "We cannot leave our citizens without support in such a situation.”
He added that the Polish medics should be able to test about 5,000 drivers over 24 hours or so.
(gs)
Source: PAP