COVID -19 Epidemic (2020-2022) – Threat to Public Health and Healthcare System in Poland

Abstract

The epidemic caused by the SARS-Cov-2 virus, which lasted in Poland from March2020 to May 2022, was the cause of 6.5 million cases and 119,000. deaths. At that time,over 200,000 cases were also recorded in Poland. excess deaths compared to the averagein recent years. These data place Poland among the countries with the highest percentageof illnesses and deaths due to the COVID -19 pandemic in Europe. The aim of thearticle is to analyze the reasons for the unsatisfactory effectiveness of the fight againstthe COVID -19 epidemic in Poland, compared to other European countries. The analysistook into account historical data on the basis for the effectiveness of anti-epidemicsecurity systems in Europe created in the 19th and 20th centuries and the functioningof the Polish public medicine system in the years 1990-2020. The results of testsamong patients who have had COVID -19 and employees of the medical care systemwere also taken into account. The article takes into account social, legal, informationand organizational aspects related to efforts to control the development of the pandemicin Poland. The text contains practical conclusions, the implementation of which wouldincrease the effectiveness of anti-epidemic activities in Poland.