The National Vaccination Program assumes that foreigners living in Poland will be vaccinated against coronavirus, too.
‘Here the primary right to vaccination is the PESEL number. We have a solution which allows us to treat all patients suffering from COVID-19 regardless of their nationality, but we will certainly give priority to Polish citizens in the case of vaccinations. To all people who are registered in the PESEL base; this is the primary thing that gives the right to vaccination,’ said Adam Niedzielski, Minister of Health, in December.
A foreigner will receive a PESEL number automatically when he/she registered for at least 30 days of stay in Poland. He/she will need a number of valid documents, including a residence card – both in the case of permanent and temporary registration of residence. A residence card in its validity period confirms the identity of a foreigner during his/her stay in the Republic of Poland.
Every foreigner who stays legally in Poland may submit to vaccination. He/she is authorised to do so if he has a residence card, a visa or any other relevant document. If a foreigner does not have a PESEL number, he/she may register via his/her passport number.
‘Vaccination without a residence card is not possible – you have to stay legally in Poland,’ we heard after we called the coronavirus helpline (989). ‘In the case of vaccination, there is no division into nationalities. Foreigners are obliged to complete the same stages as everyone in respect of age or current profession.
According to the data of the Social Insurance Company [ZUS], there are over 650,000 insured foreigners in Poland, of which 43,000 persons were registered in Wroclaw. However, the persons who wait long for the legalisation of their stay may have a problem. According to the report of the Supreme Audit Office, the average time of proceedings in provincial offices is 116 days; in the Lower Silesia Province, it may last even up to 328 days.
What are the stages of COVID-19 vaccinations?
Stage 0:
Employees of the health care sector (medical personnel, employees of the Social Care Centre [DPS]and the Municipal Social Welfare Centre [MOPS] and auxiliary and administrative personnel in medical facilities, including sanitary & epidemiological stations); parents of premature babies.
Stage 1:
Residents and employees of social care centres, care and treatment facilities, nursing and care facilities and other places of stationary stay; people over 60 years of age; uniformed services, including territorial defence forces.
Stage 2:
Key professional groups: employees of the education sector, employees of critical infrastructure and public transport sectors, civil servants directly engaged in fighting the epidemic (e.g., employees of epidemiological & sanitary stations); persons under 60 years of age suffering from chronic diseases that increase the risk of severe COVID-19.
Stage 3:
entrepreneurs and employees of sectors closed under the regulations on the establishment of specific restrictions, orders and bans in connection with the occurrence of the epidemic; general vaccination of the rest of the adult population.
COVID-19 vaccinations. Registration
According to information from the Ministry of Health, Polish citizens will obtain an automatically issued e-referral to vaccination, which will be valid for 60 days. The procedure is different for foreigners; in order to obtain a referral, they have to register for a visit to a primary health care physician.
Upon obtaining the referral, they can book a vaccination with the same physician or by calling the helpline number 989 or 22 62 62 989. The patient will be immediately registered for two visits and will receive a text message before the second vaccination.
‘A referral to vaccination for foreigners may be issued only a primary health care physician,’ confirms the consultant of the helpline (989) that we called.
Where is it possible to become vaccinated against COVID-19?
In Wroclaw and its surroundings, over 130 COVID-19 vaccination points have been registered. Where are those points? Check HERE.
