Virus hitting hard in Central and Eastern European countries that rode out first wave

Poland announced sweeping new anti-Covid restrictions on Friday as the number of virus infections surged dramatically across Central and Eastern Europe. Ministers in the European Union's largest ex-Communist state tightened the rules in response to an infections spike that threatens to overwhelm public health care. There are fears that having avoided the worst of Europe's first wave of infections in the Spring, Poland and other neighbouring European nations have allowed complacency to prevail in recent months. Mateusz Morawiecki, the Polish prime minister, said that new restrictions would come into place from Saturday. They include closing bars, allowing only takeaway services at restaurants, and making most schools teach online. He also warned of a “full scale lockdown” for Poland's 38 million people, including closing borders, if the virus was not brought under control. Poland reported 13,632 positive test results on Thursday, a new record, with 10,788 people hospitalised by the illness. The country has some 18,000 hospital beds available, but with up to 25,000 positive rest results a day now predicted, health professionals are warning that severe staff shortages could undermine levels of care.

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