Schools, kindergartens and restaurants were closed. There was a ban on entering forests and parks, limits in shops and buses. The masks were in force virtually everywhere. Most of us were quarantine at least for some time. Life moved in front of TV and computers screens. Exactly five years ago, Covid Lockdown began, and we feel the influence of Pandemia to this day.
This is a story, but not for everyone. – I am treated to this day – says Sebastian Wojtyczka. Our interlocutor will never forget the pandemic and 27 days he spent in a temporary hospital in Katowice, fighting for his life.
– The worst time was, as I was about to tell my wife and family that I had a 10 percent chance of survival. It was really very hard for me – admits Sebastian Wojtyczka.
The number of births broke down. The trend has remained to this day
Five years ago, on March 12, 2020, the authorities closed schools, kindergartens and nurseries, and the day later they announced the introduction of an epidemic threat. It was the beginning of Lockdown, which accompanied us over two years with breaks. We feel the effects of Covid to this day.
The number of deaths increased dramatically. In the worst 2021, 110,000 Poles died more than a year before Covid. At that time – as always in an emergency – the number of births collapsed. The unfavorable trend contrary to expectations has persisted. Last year, we were born the least since World War II.
– Unfortunately, this reflection was not there. Only he was further and can sometimes be said sometimes an accelerated decrease in the number of births, definitely exceeding the darkest visions – says Professor Piotr Szukalski from the Department of Applied Sociology and Social Work of the University of Lodz.
Increase in infectious diseases
Three years after the end of the pandemic, we are still dealing with an increase in the number of cases of other infectious diseases. – Pandemia has also probably affected our immunity by exhausting these immune resources – indicates Dr. Paweł Grzesiowski, chief sanitary inspector.
Health care facilities have billions of zlotys from KPO to spend. There is not much timeMarek Nowicki/Fakty TVN
Poles' mental health suffered. – More diagnosed cases of depression or anxiety disorders, often combined with such social anxiety, which even prevents people from leaving home. Secondly, the pattern of our social relations has changed. We have largely moved them to the virtual world, to the Internet – notes Żaneta Rachwaniec, a psychologist from the University of Social Sciences and Humanities, an activist of the “wing” foundation.
Companies are still closing massively
The Polish Pandemic Economy has slowed down. And although she has already made up for the losses, the smallest companies are still closing.
– For about two years we have seen that this is consistently half a million closed and suspended activities per year. These numbers are much larger than those we dealt with earlier – notes Jakub Bińkowski from the Association of Entrepreneurs and Employers.
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There were also positive effects of lockdown. – It was obvious that this air is a little cleaner, that the water is cleaner. The behavior of animals has also changed, because the animals could finally enter where they could not before, because we were people – indicates Aleksandra Wiktor from Greenpeace Polska.
“Sooner or later there will be another pandemic”
Pandemia is still in the center of interest of scientists.
– We can be sure that sooner or later it will come to the pandemic again. We don't know what will cause her. As scientists, we work to prepare for it – admits prof. Krzysztof Pyrć, a virologist from the Lesser Poland Biotechnology Center of the Jagiellonian University.
Coronavirus infected with over six and a half million Poles, and almost 120,000 infected died.
Source of the main photo: Tvn24