Poland wants to let some prisoners go home due to coronavirus

FILE PHOTO: A Polish police officer, wearing a protective mask, stands at the border between Germany and Poland, during coronavirus disease (COVID-19) symptoms testing for people returning to Poland, near Frankfurt/Oder, Germany March 17, 2020. REUTERS/Axel Schmidt/File Photo

WARSAW (Reuters) - More Polish prisoners will be given the possibility to serve their sentences at home due to the coronavirus epidemic, under a justice ministry proposal that could benefit up to 20,000 convicts.

Poland has so far reported 684 cases of coronavirus, including eight deaths. It has shut schools, cinemas and other public venues, banned the entry of foreigners into the country and urged Poles to stay at home if at all possible.