Government health officials in Poland have enacted a series of tougher rules to battle COVID-19, with the number of “red” zones – those with the most severe restrictions – now increased to cover nearly half the country and 70% of the population. Almost all of Pomerania, including all of Trójmiasto and the surrounding regions is now in the most restrictive ‘red’ zone with additional restrictions effective as of Saturday, October 17.

Primary schools will remain open but secondary schools and universities will be required to switch to distance learning, and all swimming pools, aquaparks, and gyms will be closed. Sporting events will be held without spectators, cultural events are limited to 25% participation, and public assemblies can be attended by no more than 10 people.

RESTRICTIONS

Transit capacity, including in busses, trams and the commuter rail (SKM), is restricted to 50% capacity, and shops are limited to five customers per cash register. Pubs, cafes, and restaurants will be allowed to operate between the hours of 6:00-21:00, with indoor seating limited to every other table and only takeaway options available after 21:00. As of October 19, the organization of wedding parties and other special events is banned in red zones.

The move comes after a new record daily case rise in coronavirus cases, particularly around the urban centers of Warsaw, Kraków, and Wrocław. Poland on Thursday reported a record daily rise in coronavirus infections for the second consecutive day, confirming 8,099 new cases and 91 new deaths, the most since the pandemic began in early March.

More information on the new restrictions is available at: https://radiogdansk.pl/wiadomosci/item/116993-trwa-konferencja-premiera-mateusza-morawieckiego-beda-nowe-czerwone-strefy-i-kolejne-obostrzenia.

Source: Radio Gdańsk, Radio Poland

Foreign ministers hold bilateral talks in Berlin

The foreign ministers of Germany and Poland met yesterday in Berlin for bilateral talks “on a range of topics on the current bilateral, European, and international agenda.” In addition to discussions on the ongoing situation in Belarus and transatlantic relations, the two representatives reportedly spoke in depth on cultural and historical issues.

During the meeting, Polish Foreign Minister Zbigniew Rau voiced hope that the two countries would soon resolve the issue of commemorating Polish World War II victims in Germany, and also expressed his support for promoting Polish language teaching abroad.

Source: Radio Poland

Polański in Poland to honor family that saved him

World-renowned film director Roman Polański was in Poland yesterday to attend a “Righteous Among the Nations” ceremony in honor of the Polish couple who sheltered him from the Nazis during World War II.

After escaping the Kraków Ghetto in 1943 at the age of ten, Polański hid with Stefania and Jan Buchala on their farm in the village of Wysoka until the end of the war. According to a report in Reuters, Polański requested that Stefania Buchala be honored for acting “without thinking, but only from love for another person…risk[ing] her life, that of her husband and children, by hiding me in her house for almost two years.”

The “Rightous Among the Nations” award is traditionally given by Vad Yashem to those who risked their lives to help rescue Jews during the Holocaust. As of January 2020, over 7,000 people in Poland have been honored with the award, the highest number of any country represented.

Source: Reuters

Poland moves up in Nations League rankings

Poland’s national football team beat Bosnia-and-Herzegovina 3-0 in Wrocław last Wednesday in its fourth match of the group stage of the Nations League.

Team captain Robert Lewandowski was in top form as usual, scoring two goals and one assist in the space of 20 minutes. The win puts Poland on top of Group A1 with seven points, one more than Italy and two more than the Netherlands.

After their draw against Italy and a win against Finland last week, the White and Red will have a chance to rest a bit before taking on lead challenger Italy on November 15.

Source: Radio Poland

Last chance to win prizes and enjoy a free live concert

Radio Gdańsk will be broadcasting a live concert tonight at 20:00, featuring Grażyna Łobaszewska and the band Ajagore. Łobaszewska is an established Tri-city singer-songwriter known for songs like “Brzydcy” and “Czas nas uczy pogody.”

Along with the concert, today is also the last chance for listeners to win concert recordings and PKM-themed gear by texting the right answer to an on-air question. Tune in at 15:00 today for a chance to win, and later at 20:00 to hear the live concert.

Source: Radio Gdańsk

Weather

Today will again be cold and overcast, with strong breeze coming in from the northeast and an increasing chance of rain showers throughout the day. Temperatures will peak at 11°C, or 51°F, and drop to a chilly overnight low of 6°C or 42°F. Similar weather is expected on into the weekend, with a potential break in the clouds starting Monday.

Elizabeth Peck/pb