Warsaw, Jul 22 (IANS): Poland will offer a fourth coronavirus vaccine dose to people aged 60-79 and those over 12 with compromised immune systems, the country's Health Minister Adam Niedzielski has announced.

"From July 22, we will allow an additional vaccination for people in the 60-79 age group and people with immune deficiency who are over 12 years of age," Niedzielski was quoted by the Polish Press Agency (PAP) as saying at a press conference, Xinhua news agency reported.

Around 12 million people out of the country's total population of 38 million have received the third dose so far, according to Niedzielski.

Till now, the fourth dose has been offered to those over 80.

Niedzielski expected daily new cases to reach 8,000-10,000 in the second half of August. "We assume the peak of hospitalization at about 3,000," Niedzielski said, adding that "this level will not trigger the need to change our policy."

Currently, daily new cases stand at around 3,000, which means a weekly growth rate of about 60 per cent. However, Niedzielski noted that the circulating mutation is not as dangerous as previous strains.