Thirteen of the 17 members of Poland's Medical Council advising the prime minister on Covid-19 resigned, condemning what they said was a lack of scientific influence on policy.

Even with one of the world's highest per capita death rates, Poland has introduced much more limited measures than many European countries to curb the spread of the coronavirus during the latest wave of infections.

"The discrepancy between scientific and medical rationale and practice has become especially glaring in the context of the very limited efforts in the face of the autumn wave and then the threat of the Omicron variant, despite the enormous number of deaths expected,” the 13 council members said in a statement to Reuters, confirming a report by the PAP state news agency.