The text compares the direct and indirect effects of the COVID-19 pandemic in the area of health, looking at them from the short and long-term perspective. The fields of analysis selected in this way also included issues such as deficits persisting after the end of treatment or the health consequences of lifestyle changes as a result of restrictions related to the pandemic or the transition to a remote work/study. An important thread of reflection is also the impact of the pandemic on the psyche of Poles in relation to specific socio-demographic features. A particularly important topic was the issue of the health debt and its consequences for the health of Polish society – both in the context of already identified deficits and problems that may arise in the future.