Poland between the Virus and the election: As if someone had pruned our country the wing

"I've lived in great fear," says Aneta, a nurse with two decades of professional experience, over the months with demCoronavirus. "Every day, when I went to work, there was this fear, whether it is hitting me today." So far, she was lucky as her colleague Anna. Both originate from the structurally weak Region at the Polish Eastern border. And both have spent almost their entire working life in the capital city of Warsaw, Anna has worked for four years in the black forest. "It was a wonderful time," she says, looking back.

Gerhard Gnauck

Political correspondent for Poland, the Ukraine, Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania, based in Warsaw.

Aneta and Anna in a medium-sized hospital are employed Now. As before, there was no traffic, and strict rules. Officially, there has been in the hospital so far, no Corona infection. Have you had any luck.

But there is also the other side: Both of them have never been on the Virus tested. In Poland, the Corona were handled Tests restrictive; it was – especially in the beginning – much less tested than in Germany.

"the mountain people more important than us?"

Since in may the mines of upper Silesia Hotspot have been discovered as a new Corona,where it is tested in bulk. "But the miners, who promote coal, which pollutes our atmosphere are more important than we, the nurses?", ask Aneta. "In Poland, the sisters are now four sick with the Virus died, but not a doctor. No wonder: We have all day contact with our patients, the doctor comes only to the tour.“

Anna and Aneta did to Corona-crisis what in the underpaid health care in Poland to do a lot: While you were in the state hospital permanent positions with a 40-hour week. But because of the low wages they worked every week for about twelve hours somewhere else, in private medical facilities. Anna has hung this job on the side now "out of a sense of responsibility", as she says, for the time being on the nail. Because the Commute between the two potential viruses, the risk for all of the increase would spin.

So, only the equivalent of about 1000 Euro gross salary from the hospital stay. Of these, 18 per cent income tax from the lowest tax rate in Poland. The rent including ancillary costs eats up more 380 Euro.

But there is not a system whereby the state assists in such Corona-related loss of Income? Anna smiles sympathetically. "Yes, but only if one of the jobs the Virus was found. So this is more Propaganda and has brought a lot of people nothing.“

"Our profession is undervalued," she says. "But you don't clap just applause to show their appreciation. The not is us bitter, we like at all.“

The choice you will not convince promise

The crisis has changed many things. "Until February," says Aneta thoughtfully, "we had a Vision that Poland comes to the legs, that the salaries that young people have a perspective. Now, it is as if someone had pruned our country the wing.“ Anna agrees: "I feel today in Poland is less secure."

set The number of the Infected to keep both of them for about five-fold too low. The Breslauer Professor Krzysztof Simon, one of the leading virologists in the country, feels the same way. Also, the number of deaths was, in truth, probably higher. Of the government measures, the two nurses praise, at best, the fast, rigorous Lockdown; but the easing'm clearly too early. "All in all, the government has the situation under control," says Aneta.