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It is better but still bad – assessment of Polish hospitals by Poles

Helpful and committed nurses but no respect for dignity and intimacy. Effective treatment but terrible or even no psychological support. Ensured sense of security but too difficult and convoluted language of doctors. Plus stuffy patient rooms and cold meals. This is how Poles assess the quality of hospital care in Poland. The latest report of the Healthcare Quality Monitoring Centre (CMJ) includes opinions of over 54,000 patients treated in a total of 134 Polish hospitals.

The PASAT OPEN 2022* survey shows that the vast majority of patients (80%) think that their hospital stay was effective, i.e. improved their health (although 7% of patients strongly disagree with this statement). At the same time, 88% of respondents would recommend the facility they stayed at to others. The authors of the report point out, however, that the assessment in this regard varied depending on the hospital – some hospitals were assessed positively by 100% of respondents but there were those that received significantly lower marks.

Even more respondents (because as many as 92%) had no reservations regarding the observance of patient rights. It is worth noting, however, that the “missing” 8% mean that at least some respondents admitted that such violations took place. When asked for details, they indicated that the violations most often concerned the right to intimacy, respect for dignity and contact with loved ones. Such areas were indicated by 4% of patients.

Another assessed area was the degree of pain relief that accompanied the hospital stay. Here the marks are not so unambiguous. Although every fifth patient did not feel such pain, every third rated it as greater than “5” (on a scale of 0-10) and almost every tenth felt the intensity of pain during hospitalisation at the highest level (“9” and “10” ). At the same time, three thirds of patients confirm that the medics tried to alleviate the pain, only 7% of patients deny it.

Nurses – helpful and committed

As for medical staff, nurses were assessed most positively – 80% of respondents gave them the highest mark (“5”), three thirds of respondents (75%) gave such a mark to doctors and slightly more, i.e. 77%, to physiotherapists. Negative marks for any representatives of the hospital staff were rare – they were given by only 3-4% of patients.

The survey included also questions about communication between patients and the medical staff. Most respondents assessed it positively, although, some answers suggest that it leaves much to be desired. 6% of patients indicate, for instance, that they did not understand what the doctor told them, while 8% resent the fact that decisions about their treatment and care were made without them, without taking into consideration their wishes.

As the authors of the report emphasise, communication between patients and those taking care of them is one of the key elements of good care. “Doctors are often reproached for their hermetic and incomprehensible language. In addition, proper understanding of the message is critical to achieving good treatment outcomes.” Although the group of patients dissatisfied with this communication is in the minority, the question remains: “What are the reasons for these negative responses.”

Despite the positive assessment of conversations with doctors about health and planned therapy, patients are not satisfied with the psychological support that they received or, more often, that they did not receive. Every fifth patient (22%) admitted that they felt depressed during hospitalisation. The people who most often helped patients during this difficult time were nurses – 39% of respondents indicated the possibility of talking to them.

93% of patients felt safe in the hospital, although, it is worth noting that as many as one in ten did not know who to contact if they had questions or doubts about their care or treatment.

Conditions in the hospital still leave much to be desired

Last but not least, patients commented on the conditions of care provided in the hospital. Here, the generally positive tone of the responses is clearly noticeable (as many as 70% of patients had no remarks about the conditions of the hospital stay). However, there were things that bothered them.

The problem that bothers patients the most is the high air temperature in the rooms and the lack of fresh air – 10% of respondents noted stuffiness in the patient rooms. The cleanliness of the bathrooms and rest conditions were also questioned.

As for the meals served in the hospital, the majority of respondents did not raise any objections but those who spoke negatively about them pointed to the same problems over and over again: no choice of meals (19%), too small portions (11%) and too cold food (10%).

* The survey was conducted in the form of an electronic questionnaire filled in directly before the patient’s discharge from the hospital or after their return home. The data was collected between
1st January and 31st December 2022 and covered 54,000 respondents. 383 online questionnaires were obtained from 134 hospitals. Based on the results, the key areas were assessed and a set of indicators was created in the following areas: medical care, nursing care, physiotherapist care, staff communication, care safety, conditions of stay and hospital recommendations.

Medical packages for employees are expensive and will be even more expensive

The prices on the market of employee medical subscriptions are already high and will be even higher. This results from a survey by WTW Consulting which is described by “Rzeczpospolita”. Key figures from the report: 14% price increase last year, 15% increase this year.

All of this is caused by inflation, which drains more and more the wallets of not only Polish citizens but also companies and service providers. Added to this is the increased need for healthcare which, in turn, is the legacy of the pandemic. As
a result, the healthcare cost went up by 8.8% on a global scale last year and this year – mainly due to inflationary increases – it may be higher by 10%. This average is raised by several countries, including Poland, with 15% increase. However, according to Krzysztof Gugała, Director at WTW Consulting, conversations with corporate clients indicate that many of them (especially those whose two-year agreements with medical service providers are coming to an end) saw prices higher by 40% in the offers for 2023 and sometimes even more than before.

The cost of higher salaries

“The wave of increases in medical packages began in mid-2022 when medical inflation accelerated”, says Gugała, recalling that since July last year, salaries in the healthcare sector have gone up by an average of 18.3% in accordance with the Act on the Method of Determining the Lowest Basic Salary of Selected Employees of Healthcare Facilities. This salary increase boosted medical inflation, which topped 17% in the autumn of 2022. This factor is also noticed by the leading private providers of these services.

“Over the last few years, we have undertaken a number of optimisation activities which helped us minimise the need to transfer additional costs to patients during this time. Today, we are in a situation when raising the prices of subscriptions and other offered services is a business necessity”, says Anna Rulkiewicz, President of the Lux Med Group. In her opinion, the inflation of medical costs, which reached approx. 20% at the end of last year, will translate into a dynamic increase in the prices of subscriptions and health insurance. As a result, subscription increases for corporate clients can reach up to 40%.

“Unfortunately, medical entities are not able to take on all the increases. The prices of services and examinations should increase by at least 30% in 2023 to maintain profitability”, says Jacek Rozwadowski, President of the Enel-Med Medical Centre. He also points out that while during the boom period, thanks to preferential packages, Poles had access to a wide range of medical services at exceptionally favourable prices, the current reality forces everyone to be more and more financially disciplined.

According to Artur Białkowski, Business Services Managing Director at Medicover Poland, taking into consideration inflation and the current reality, the package price should be more than twice as high today as it was 10 years ago to ensure similar availability and services. Meanwhile, taking into consideration the increase in the employer’s costs, the price of medical care at Medicover, calculated as
a percentage of employment costs, decreases year by year – even with current increases.

Cezary Jaźnicki, Director of the Personal Insurance Division at WTW Polska, admits that at the end of 2022 and beginning of 2023, some employers were put against the wall – because along with the information about the increase, service providers sent them termination notices of existing agreements. Most of them had to accept new terms and conditions because it is difficult to find an alternative in the current situation.

According to the WTW data, companies have not yet reacted to increases in the prices of medical services by cutting other elements of benefit packages, although, they sometimes try to optimise costs by giving up services that are not used or by looking for a cheaper service provider.

Inflation drains the mental health of Poles

Inflation drains not only our pockets. According to a survey, even up to half of Poles experience deterioration of mental health and well-being because of it.

An increase in inflation adversely affects health. Already 50.9% of Poles complain about the deterioration of their health due to rising prices. These are the results of the survey by UCE RESEARCH and the ePsycholodzy.pl platform, described by “Rzeczpospolita”.

The respondents reported deterioration of their mental health, mental condition, well-being or mental functioning.

The data discussed by the journalists of “Rzeczpospolita” come from the third edition of the survey. In the previous, July edition, less respondents (43.7%) mentioned the deterioration of mental health. In turn, the result from the first edition carried out in March this year was 38.5%. It is clear that the situation is still worsening.

Billions in costs

“More than half of Poles associate the issue of personal finances with the deterioration of their mental state. The observed phenomenon is no longer just
a social problem but, above all, it takes on an economic dimension. Here we can recall, for instance, a wave of sick leaves due to depression, stress or simply bad mental well-being”, says Michał Pajdak from ePsycholodzy.pl, co-author of the survey, quoted by the daily.

According to “Rzeczpospolita”, UCE RESEARCH estimates that such a situation may cost the state and the economy even more than PLN 2 billion annually. We are talking here about payments for sick leaves or losses of companies caused by
a reduction in the attendance of employees and deterioration of their efficiency.

Moreover, the problem will not end with inflation slowing down.

“The problem grows in society along with the increase in inflation, which affects all market participants, however, with different strength and at different times. It seems that this is only the beginning of many human dramas. Purely financial issues will also affect marital relations, which may result in a greater number of divorces or separations”, comments Pajdak in “Rzeczpospolita”.

In general, the survey shows that young people, less educated people and residents of small towns complain most frequently about health deterioration, the daily reads.

Employees seek private healthcare

As many as 60% of employees are willing to participate in the costs of personalised medical packages. This number rises to 67% if the solution includes additional dental services. The latest IR Center report, which was created in cooperation with the Enel-Med Medical Centre, shows how the priorities and expectations of Polish employees have changed. Still less than half of them are provided with medical care at their workplace.

Due to the fact that Polish employees care about their own health and the health of their family, the medical package becomes quite an effective tool in the competition for employees. 60% of employees declare that they are willing to participate in the cost of personalised medical packages. Unfortunately, most of them do not have such a possibility anyway because this solution has not yet become a standard.

Poles focus on health

Health matters to Poles and they want to take care of it – this is the conclusion of
a survey. The authors conducted a comprehensive analysis on a sample of almost 900 people, which clearly shows that Poles primarily focus on their health and the health of their loved ones. 97% of the survey participants emphasise the importance of caring for the health of other family members, 94% indicate that it is important for them to take care of their own mental and physical health. The quality of services is definitely important when taking care of health – as many as 68% of respondents are willing to pay more if it allows them to use the services of a better specialist. This trend is particularly visible among people aged 25-34, residents of large cities and among white-collar workers and IT specialists.

Employment – preferably with a guaranteed medical package

The survey indicate that employees attach great importance to whether their current or potential employer offers them medical care. The medical package is important for 73% of respondents and very important for 28% of them. 24% of respondents consider the medical package to be a standard.

Although employees appreciate this type of benefit, it has not yet become
a standard among employers in Poland. Currently, 43% of people declare that they have a medical subscription.

Such packages are especially popular in companies and large enterprises employing over 250 people. Here, 63% of respondents have such packages. 49% of people employed in medium enterprises declare that they have a package. In small enterprises, less than one third of respondents (29%) have medical care provided.

Medical package – yes and preferably personalised

As many as 83% of respondents would like to have a package tailored to their needs, however, most of them do not want the employer to conduct analyses regarding package profiling. Only 28% of people are open to this type of survey. At the same time, employees more and more often express their willingness to participate in the costs of profiled medical services. As many as 60% of respondents could pay extra for the package and 67% are willing to do so if the employer includes dental services in the package.

White collar workers and people employed in small enterprises are the least willing to pay extra for a tailor-made medical subscription. Employees in the construction and IT business as well as those working in large enterprises are more interested in a tailored package (but without dental services).

The medical package and the image of the employer

77% of respondents declare that for them, the medical package is an expression of care for employees. 69% of people consider an employer offering this type of benefit recommendable. And 65% of them believe that the guaranteed medical package affects the commitment and motivation of employees.

Every tenth Pole has private health insurance

Fear of illness, concerns about losing health or lack of access to medical care are the reasons why the number of people covered by private health insurance increased by 10.6%, reaching 4.08 million at the end of the third quarter of 2022. Poles spent nearly PLN 880 million on private insurance policies, which is 12.45% more year on year. Poles are increasingly willing to take advantage of the opportunities offered by the additional healthcare products available on the market. The offered products are more and more extensive and thus comprehensive. They facilitate health monitoring, which translates into reducing the health debt. Health insurance, which is more and more popular, has become an indispensable support for the public healthcare system.

Health insurance policy or medical subscription – what to choose?

Treatment using the National Health Fund services requires a lot of health, and queues to doctors – a lot of patience. Inconveniences related to the public healthcare mean that private medical care is becoming more and more popular. We just have to choose it well. Health insurance policy or medical subscription? What are the differences and similarities between them? We check what and when will work best!

Medical subscription

The subscription is offered by networks of private medical facilities. It is a service of providing healthcare, paid on a flat-rate basis, with the need to incur any additional costs after exceeding certain limits. Subscriptions are usually purchased by employers for their employees and constitute a form of additional non-wage benefit. The medical subscription can be used only in the network of facilities where the subscription was purchased. So the choice is extremely limited. The issue of referrals is also important. A significant difference between the subscription and the policy is the issue related to referrals for specialist tests. The choice of the subscription means that tests can be carried out only on the basis of a referral issued by the admitting physician in the facility where we purchased the subscription. However, in the case of the policy, the insured person may perform tests on the basis of any referral presented, even from a private or public doctor. Unlike medical subscriptions which are usually concluded for a short period of time or for the period of work for a given employer, insurance can fulfil its function for a long time. In principle, the insurance cannot be terminated by the insurer. Thus, it guarantees stable and long-term protection.

Subscription costs

The times of cheap medical subscriptions are gone. The announced increases in package prices, which were mentioned in the middle of the year, have just entered into force. Their scale is so gigantic that clients will have to think about how to comprehensively take care of their own health. Statistics Poland (GUS) reported that private health services (including the prices of pharmaceutical products as well as therapeutic devices and equipment) were more expensive by 7.2% on average already in the middle of the year than in the previous year and by 6% – counted from January. The basic operating costs in the LUX MED facilities have increased by 15% only since the beginning of this year – mainly due to the increase in labour costs of medical staff. “We have been raising salaries since the beginning of the year and the costs will increase even more from July, when regulations increasing the salaries of clinical staff in the public and private sectors come into force. In addition, the costs of energy and medical equipment are rising”, explained Anna Rulkiewicz, President of LUX MED. This can be seen in the prices of their most popular subscriptions. LUX MED’s flagship products – the Comprehensive Package and the Premium Package – increased by nearly 80% in October.

Policy

The health insurance policy is a service offered by insurance companies. Unlike the subscription, it consists in covering the costs of medical services by the insurer when necessary. It will be useful, for example, in case of an accident. The scope of a health policy depends on the variant proposed by the insurer. The policy may cover access to outpatient services (e.g. consultations with specialist doctors or diagnostic tests), payment of one-time benefits (usually based on submitted bills) in case of an illness or accident as well as hospital treatment (including reimbursement of hospital stay costs). The health insurance policy is individual in nature – as a rule, it differentiates the insured people according to their sex or age (this also determines the premium amount).

MediSky policy

What distinguishes the MediSky health insurance from standard health packages? Why is it worth trusting the International Health Card? What do we mean by the phrase “medical care at the highest level”?

The MediSky insurance means primarily:

freedom of access to all private and public facilities throughout Poland – without exceptions,
access to doctors of all specialities,
full hospital care in all public and private hospitals throughout the country,
second medical opinion,
road and air ambulance,
possibility to perform all laboratory and diagnostic tests without additional charges,
treatment of cancer and other serious diseases,
full outpatient surgery,
treatment of HIV/AIDS,
costs of prescription drugs.

Of course, the choice is yours, however, in times of huge price increases, it is worth paying attention not only to the price but also to the range of given solutions. In the end, it may turn out that no matter where you are, you might need help here and now. Therefore, it is worth choosing such an option that will be the guarantor of your health and life.

Health support as the most important benefit for employees

Developing hobbies, education or family life – benefits in these areas played an important role but before the outbreak of the war, high inflation and COVID-19. Currently, these needs have receded into the background. Employees who are struggling with rising cost of living and remember the experiences of the pandemic say directly that the role of employee benefits should be primarily to support their health (47%) and personal finance (44%) – according to a survey by Personnel Service. The company’s experts point out that when meeting basic needs is threatened, thinking about development or education recedes into the background.

Diverse people with insurance protection plan

“Already at the beginning of the pandemic, we quickly began to observe how the carefully built system of employee benefits began to shake in its foundations. No one needed fruit Thursdays in the home office and sports cards for closed gyms lost their meaning. Companies noticed this change and began to introduce extensive medical care packages and psychological support. The war and inflation have changed the needs of employees even more because they made employees realise that in addition to healthcare, they also want benefits that will reduce their rising cost of living. Hence, a fuel card or free meals at work are now much more useful than a sports card”, says Krzysztof Inglot, Labour Market Expert, Founder of Personnel Service S.A.

Finance more important than development

The survey by Personnel Service shows that in the opinion of almost half of employees (47%), the most important role of benefits is health support. This is a consequence of the pandemic, which made everyone aware of the importance of easy access to healthcare, which is offered by private medical care cards. Support for personal finance was placed second by 44% of respondents, which again is the aftermath of the inflation that we all face. More expensive shopping or commuting means that benefits which can reduce these costs are gaining in importance. In the opinion of 35% of employees, the most important role of benefits is to improve the well-being and comfort of work. This aspect, despite the popularisation of remote work, is still high on the list of needs, which also shows that home office is still something additional, not a standard, and applies to the minority of employees.

Support for the development and education of employees was outside the podium of the most important roles of benefits – this aspect was indicated by 29% of respondents. It is worth recalling here the results of the recent “Polish Labour Market Barometer” by Personnel Service, which showed that employees who experienced the pandemic and are aware of dynamic changes on the labour market want to improve their competences. This was indicated by 44% of respondents. These are mainly young people (67% of responses in the age group of 18-24 vs. 22% in the age group of 55 and over). Only every third employee does not intend to get additional education and training.

Every fifth employee, when asked about benefits, indicates that their role should be the support of family life. Interestingly, developing hobbies and supporting free time are not popular among employees and the minority of them indicate that they count on company benefits in this regard
(14% and 17%, respectively). It will not come as a surprise that mainly people aged 25-34 count on the support of family life. As many as 27% of them indicate that this is the most important role of benefits compared to 16% of people aged over 55 or 21% of people aged 18-24.

“In Maslov’s hierarchy of needs, the key to satisfying higher needs is the feeling that the basic needs are satisfied in the first place. We can see this now with benefits. Previously, employees had space to think about their development and hobbies and now, they care most about protecting their health and reducing the high cost of living. This, of course, does not mean that companies should now withdraw all programmes supporting employee education or development of hobbies but employees say directly that this is not their priority now and they prefer to take care of it themselves, and they count on the company to support their health and their personal finance”, sums up Krzysztof Inglot from Personnel Service.

Medical subscriptions are getting more and more expensive, so Poles are looking for other solutions

An increase in the prices of medical subscriptions reaching up to 80% year on year – this reality has affected everyone who seeks private medical care. However, there are still a lot of people interested in private medical appointments. Poles are looking for solutions that will reconcile high prices with the possibility of taking care of their health.

Interest is still high

The sale of health insurance policies and subscriptions continues to grow. Every tenth Pole already has the former. Subscriptions constitute at least twice as much – this is a trend that has been observed for several years. Failing public healthcare prompts the search for doctors in the private sector. In this case, the statistics do not lie – according to the Polish Chamber of Insurance (PIU), the number of people covered by private health insurance has increased by 10.6% during the year and reached
4.08 million at the end of the third quarter of 2022. The amount spent on private insurance policies was PLN 878.7 million – 12.45% more than in the previous year.

Prices go up

Statistics Poland (GUS) reported that private health services (including the prices of pharmaceutical products as well as therapeutic devices and equipment) were more expensive by 7.2% on average than in the previous year and by 6% – counted from January. However, the real scale of price increases took place in the third quarter of this year. In the case of private network healthcare facilities, the inflation can be seen in the prices of their most popular subscriptions. LUX MED’s flagship products – the Comprehensive Package and the Premium Package – increased by nearly 80% in October. A similar situation can be also observed in Enel-Med or Medicover. Wage and margin pressure means that despite growing revenues, private facilities must optimise their costs. And this will influence the increase of prices for patients. The basic operating costs of private facilities have increased by 15% only since the beginning of the year. “If we want to respond to the growing demand for services, maintain the highest standard of patient treatment, including treatment using modern solutions, by qualified and more numerous staff, we must consider increased expenditure on our activity, which translates into the valuation of services”, says Artur Białkowski, Business Services Director at Medicover Poland, in an interview for Gazeta Parkiet. The President of the Management Board of the LUX MED Group, Anna Rulkiewicz, mentions also that renegotiations with corporate clients are pending and some patients could have already felt the higher prices. She indicates, among others, that it is impossible now to keep the current rates of PLN 60-70 for a monthly subscription. It can be compared to the price of a single consultation, which can reach up to PLN 300.

Solution

Huge queues to specialists and often unsatisfactory quality of both services and facilities available under the National Health Fund insurance and, more and more often, in the private sector, prompt more and more people to seek private healthcare. Since subscription prices are raising, maybe it is wise to look for another solution? Purchasing a health insurance policy may be such a solution. This is a service offered by insurance companies. Unlike the subscription, it consists in covering the costs of medical services by the insurer when necessary. It will be useful, for example, in case of an accident. The scope of a health insurance policy depends on the variant proposed by the insurer. The policy may cover access to outpatient services (e.g. consultations with specialist doctors or diagnostic tests), payment of one-time benefits (usually based on submitted bills) in case of an illness or accident as well as hospital treatment (including reimbursement of hospital stay costs). The health insurance policy is individual in nature – as a rule, it differentiates the insured people according to their sex or age (this also determines the premium amount). For instance, the MediSky policy offers the widest health package and has increased by less than 10% in the last two years. It is a phenomenon not only in Poland but also in Europe.

Inflation affects the private healthcare sector

Energy carriers increased by approx. 40%, food prices by over 17%, generally, the prices of consumer goods and services in August 2022 increased year-on-year by 16.1%, and compared to the previous month, prices increased by 0.8% – reported the Statistics Poland (GUS). Inflation results correlate with the PMR report, which shows that the increase in prices in the private healthcare sector in 2022, compared to 2021, will amount to approx. 14%.

According to the report, the increase in prices in the coming years will oscillate around 7% YoY every year and will last until 2027. According to the PMR report “Rynek prywatnej opieki zdrowotnej w Polsce 2022. Analiza rynku i prognozy rozwoju na lata 2022-2027”, the increase in prices is one of the main challenges for the private healthcare market in Poland.

The survey authors call this growth “strong”, which – according to PMR – on the one hand, will affect the nominal increase in the value of this market but it will also reduce its real dynamics. This will influence the decisions of Poles who may decide to limit some private appointments for which they pay out of their own pockets. “On the other hand, it may result in more interest in medical subscriptions and private health insurance”, adds Justyna Zagórska, senior analyst of the pharmaceutical and healthcare market at PMR and the author of the above-mentioned report.

PMR reported also that, according to its survey, patients using private medical services paid for on-site have already felt an increase in market prices. Dental care and rehabilitation are the areas where the average amounts spent by Poles per visit in 2021 increased the most. The PMR price change index for dental services was over 62% and for rehabilitation services – 59%. The internist appointments turned out to be the most resistant to price increases, although in this case, the index was also high and amounted to 44%.

“PMR forecasts indicate that the salaries of medical staff will grow significantly faster than the total salaries in Poland. This will result in higher prices of services”, the report reads.

This is another year in which both medical facilities and patients have to deal with problems. Due to the outbreak of the pandemic and the introduction of restrictions, the private healthcare market fell by 6.3% (EUR 12.4 billion). During the pandemic, the segment of appointments paid for on-site was affected the most by regression. It was associated with the fear of coming personally to a medical facility and resignation from starting diagnostics or treatment. The services affected the most since 2020 include dental services, diagnostic imaging and rehabilitation.

Health investments

Can we find a way to cope with galloping inflation? Yes – by choosing reasonable, thoughtful and safe medical insurance which guarantees free access not just to one but to all medical facilities and, additionally, which is resistant to significant price increases. MediSky International has increased the prices of its services by less than 3% in the last two years. It is a phenomenon not only in Poland but also in Europe. The main factor of such an approach is that the insurance policy gives a sense of security to everyone who purchased it. MediSky guarantees access to all medical facilities and the best specialists around the world. Without queues and unnecessary formalities. It is possible to make appointments to doctors of all specialisations who are licensed to practice and issue a bill or invoice for their services. The policy includes also physiotherapists, dentists (selected packages), psychologists and psychiatrists. Fortunately for MediSky clients, solutions, standards and high quality of the offered services will remain at the highest level and health, as the greatest value, will be a priority not subject to inflation.

Coronavirus vs flu and cold. Similarities and differences

Viral infections are widespread in the autumn and winter period, which now begins. They usually manifest themselves as an ordinary cold, which does not have negative health consequences and, despite bothersome symptoms (such as runny nose, cough, headache, sore throat), passes by itself within a week or two. Staying in closed rooms, less sun exposure, hypothermia and seasonal activity of some pathogens will also cause the common cold. However, this year we will once again face the additional threat of COVID-19. How can we tell if we suffer from the flu or the coronavirus causing COVID-19? How to distinguish a cold from the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus? Unfortunately, it is difficult to provide clear answers to these questions because the symptoms of these diseases can be very similar.

One of these diseases can have clinical symptoms that are difficult to distinguish from COVID-19. We are talking here about influenza (flu). This is why it is so important to properly educate people about the characteristics of both these diseases, so that patients themselves can distinguish the two to some extent, which will greatly facilitate further diagnostic and treatment procedures. The flu poses a lower epidemiological risk as there are effective vaccines against this disease and the risk of serious complications (including death) is lower than in the case of COVID-19.

What is a cold

A cold, or more specifically the common cold or viral nasopharyngitis, is associated with a viral infection which can be caused by a large number of different viruses. It is estimated that in almost half of the cases, the disease is caused by a rhinovirus infection, in the remaining cases – by coronaviruses, adenoviruses, enteroviruses and others. A cold is an airborne disease but depending on the pathogen type, it can also be transmitted through direct contact or be foodborne. Unlike the flu, a cold usually begins with mild symptoms.

Cold symptoms are the following:
• sore throat
• runny nose
• cough
• sneezing
• headaches (rarely)
• muscle aches
• fever (rarely and not high)

Symptoms build up gradually and in most cases, recovery occurs within 7-10 days. A cold is a mild disease, usually without complications (people with bronchial asthma or other chronic respiratory diseases and immunodeficiency might develop bronchitis and/or pneumonia).

What is seasonal flu?

The flu season in Poland is from October to April. The etiological factor of this disease is influenza
A virus or, to a small extent, influenza B virus. The flu is an airborne disease, however, it can be also transmitted (less often) through contaminated hands or objects. The main risk factors include direct contact with the patient and being closer to the patient than 1.5 m for a longer time. Spending time in large groups of people and not taking care of proper hand hygiene are conducive to getting sick.

Symptoms come on suddenly:
• fever or subjective feeling of fever, chills
• cough, usually dry
• sore throat
• runny or blocked nose
• muscle and joint aches
• headaches
• tiredness
• vomiting and diarrhoea in some patients (more often in children than in adults)

What is Covid-19?

It is a disease caused by the novel SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus, associated with severe respiratory distress syndrome. Symptoms of COVID-19, except for the loss of smell and/or taste, can also occur in the course of the flu. The loss of smell and/or taste is characteristic of COVID-19, rarely seen in other viral infections. In the absence of this symptom, the flu can be distinguished from COVID-19 only on the basis of nasopharyngeal swab testing (RT-PCR method) for SARS-CoV-2 or antigen testing.

Category: Stay healthy

It is better but still bad – assessment of Polish hospitals by Poles

Medical packages for employees are expensive and will be even more expensive

Inflation drains the mental health of Poles

More and more Poles struggle with problems at work

Employees seek private healthcare

Health insurance policy or medical subscription – what to choose?

Health support as the most important benefit for employees

Medical subscriptions are getting more and more expensive, so Poles are looking for other solutions

Inflation affects the private healthcare sector

Coronavirus vs flu and cold. Similarities and differences

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