tests). Many local governments operating care facilities regretted the programmes were not available earlier. In this context, it should be pointed out that at the beginning of the epidemic, admissions of new residents to social care homes were limited. In many institutions, newly admitted residents were subjected to isolation for several days. An interesting initiative in this regard was implemented in Krakow. New procedures for admitting new residents to social care homes during the epidemic were developed, and a special support facility with quasi-quarantine places was established. People referred to social care homes stayed there for 14 days before being placed in the SCH. Some SCH directors were considering whether it was permitted to require a test prior to admission to the home322. The issue was finally regulated by the ordinance of the Council of Ministers of 1 September 2020323. It was also made clear that the tests were financed from public funds. There was also a risk of the residents becoming infected by staff members who were asymptomatic. Therefore, many local government officials emphasized that the coronavirus tests should be more easily available to SCHs as a matter of urgency. Staffing problems The issue of the health of SCHs’ staff and the possibility to ensure continued care to the homes’ residents was one of the key problems faced by social care homes’ directors and operating entities. In most of the institutions, employees who were quarantined in the homes continued to perform care and nursing tasks with regard to the residents. In some cases, however, it was insufficient and additional staff was delegated to the institutions by voivodeship governments324 , or volunteers were sought. The situation was difficult because many nurses worked for several institutions, which, according to the ministerial recommendations, should be limited during the epidemic. Local government officials understood the difficulties. There were also solutions aimed at limiting the spread of the infections among the homes’ employees. The city of Krakow launched an initiative within which SCH employees could commute 322 The issue was discussed during a webinar for employees of care institutions, conducted with the participation of NMPT representatives on 31 July 2020 by the Together We Change the World Foundation. 323 Regulation of the Council of Ministers of 6 May 2021 on the introduction of certain restrictions, orders and prohibitions in connection with the state of epidemic (Journal of Laws of 2020, item 1505). 324 Based on Article 47(1) of the Act of 5 December 2008 on preventing and combating infections and infectious diseases in humans (Journal of Laws of 2008, No. 234, item 1570, as amended): Employees of medical entities, medical professionals and other persons who have signed contracts for the provision of health services, may be delegated to work related to combating the epidemic. Other people may also be delegated to such work if so justified by the current needs of entities that manage the fight against the epidemic. 126