COVID-19 cases climb above 8,000 in Poland

Poland reported on Friday evening a record 461 new confirmed COVID-19 cases, bringing the country's total to 8,379, with 332 deaths.

The new figures came out one day after the government announced plans to gradually ease restrictions, starting with the re-opening of parks and forests to the public on Monday.

According to Deputy Prime Minister Jadwiga Emilewicz, it is unlikely schools will be able to operate normally before the end of the school year.

Talking to news website Onet, Emilewicz said that the focus is now on preparing schools to receive children for day care in order to allow parents to return to work.

On gradually lifting economic and social restrictions, Emilewicz said that it is crucial not to hurry.

"When you look at such plans in the Czech Republic, Austria and Germany, they chose to keep a schedule of 2 weeks between stages," she said. "We chose not to communicate that time between stages, exactly because we need to see what the effects of the epidemic numbers will be."

Poland has named four stages in which the restrictions will be gradually lifting, starting with the opening of parks and forests, and ending with services that require physical contact, such as tattoo parlors.

Meanwhile, despite the rising COVID-19 cases, the Polish Ministry of Health has published its opinion on conducting the presidential elections planned for May 10.

The elections have been widely criticized for the health risk and the fact that the pandemic has put a stop to any on-the-ground campaigning since February.