Europe’s COVID-19 Lessons
- Five years after the World Health Association (WHO) declared COVID-19 a global pandemic, Europe continues to assess the long-term changes and vulnerabilities exposed by the crisis.
- The WHO's declaration in 2020 served as a critical alarm, drawing global attention to the escalating epidemic that had been reported as late 2019.
- Europeans watched as the virus spread from China, with television images showing military trucks in Bergamo, italy, which became an early epicenter of the pandemic.
europe Grapples with Lasting Impact of COVID-19 Pandemic Five Years Later
Table of Contents
Five years after the World Health Association (WHO) declared COVID-19 a global pandemic, Europe continues to assess the long-term changes and vulnerabilities exposed by the crisis. Public service media across the continent are reflecting on the pandemic’s impact and considering whether new threats could leave Europe similarly exposed.
Published: April 23, 2025, 08:20 CET
The WHO’s declaration in 2020 served as a critical alarm, drawing global attention to the escalating epidemic that had been reported as late 2019.
Europeans watched as the virus spread from China, with television images showing military trucks in Bergamo, italy, which became an early epicenter of the pandemic.
The Italian army was deployed to manage the overwhelming number of casualties in Bergamo and its province, where 6,000 deaths were recorded in a single month – a meaningful increase from the usual 2,000.
The mourning continues in the region, according to a report by Arte.
Shortly after the outbreak in Italy, similar statistics emerged across Europe. Within a month of the pandemic’s declaration, hospitals were overwhelmed, and governments struggled to respond effectively.
Spain became another major epicenter. By April 2,2020,the country reported 100,000 cases and 10,000 deaths,including 950 in one day.
Pedro Gullon, director general of the Spanish Public Health Agency, told RTVE that “In general, we were caught off guard.” He added that, in retrospect, the impact of the first wave could have been lessened, but stopping it entirely was impossible.
Difficult Measures and Lessons
Pandemic-related terms like “antigens,” “PCR,” “mRNA,” “herd immunity,” and “curfew” became commonplace.
Repeated lockdowns, contact tracing, and isolation measures sparked increasing public discontent and protests.
In Belgium, demonstrations against COVID-19 preventive measures turned violent in 2021, according to the RTBF.
Belgian Minister of Health Frank Vandenbroucke stated that the initial wave of COVID-19, followed by subsequent waves and variants, provided valuable lessons. He told RTBF that “The total closure of the school system, including support services, psychological and medical centers, etc., has been too much… what the government did at the very beginning was probably not the right strategy, but we learned the lessons.”
School closures appear to have had a particularly lasting impact, the full extent of which is still being evaluated.
In the Czech Republic, distance education led to a loss of social contact and increased isolation, contributing to a rise in mental health issues among children.
CT reported a disturbing increase in self-destructive behavior, especially among adolescent girls.
During this period,many turned to social media for support. Václav Havelka, director of the Chmelnice primary school in Prague, noted that students became increasingly reliant on online platforms during distance learning.
Five Years later: Europe Grapples with the Lingering Impact of COVID-19
Across Europe, the echoes of the COVID-19 pandemic continue to resonate,
from altered work habits to a heightened awareness of mental health. While
life has largely returned to normal, the lessons learned – and forgotten –
are under scrutiny as the world contemplates future health crises.
A client passes in front of a poster of the NHS promoting the slogan “Stay
Home, Save Lives” in London, January 8, 2021.
Afp Or Licensors
Education Disrupted: A Generation’s Lost Ground
For students like Lucas, now 18, the shift to online learning during
lockdowns presented significant challenges.
“I was a little disappointed by online courses,as it was so easy
to do something else during an online course,no one had control. And
when I arrived in tenth year, in person, I realized that I was missing
certain bases.”
Younger children also felt the impact. Teresa,who was eight when the
pandemic began,recalls a childhood largely spent indoors.
“I think the pandemic had an impact on my childhood, as I spent it
at home,”Teresa, RTP
Elderly Hardest hit: Isolation and Loss in Retirement Homes
The pandemic’s impact was particularly devastating for the elderly,
especially those in retirement homes.
cite="https://rtbf.be/article/de-la-simple-grippe-a-l-annonce-redoutee-d-un-confinement-comment-la-belgique-a-bascule-vers-le-lockdown-il-y-a-5-ans-11513512" >“We have transformed our palliative care structure into a covid 19
unit,”Steve Doyen, director of a rest house in the Brussels region,
RTBF
The sheer number of deaths overwhelmed staff and resources. Christie
Morreale, former Walloon Minister of Health, described the emotional toll
of tracking the daily death toll.
Lingering Changes and Persistent Questions
While some pandemic-era changes, like increased remote work and mental
health awareness, persist, experts debate whether societies and
institutions have truly learned from the crisis.
Inés Calzada, a sociologist at the Complutense University of Madrid,
believes the pandemic highlighted the importance of the state in
protecting its citizens.
cite="https://www.rtve.es/noticias/20250313/espana-despues-covid-19-datos-muertes-economia/16488142.shtml" > That the pandemic was an alarm signal on the “necessity of the state:
people instantly understood how this institution can protect them”.
Inés Calzada, sociologist at the complutense university of Madrid,
RTVE
Daniel La Parra,a health sociology professor at the University of
Alicante,notes the pandemic’s impact on prioritizing health over
economic activity. he suggests this may have led to a sustained increase
in demand for healthcare services.
A client passes in front of a poster of the NHS promoting the slogan
“Stay Home, Save Lives” in London, January 8, 2021.
Afp Or Licensors
However, some argue that european health systems have not adequately
addressed the weaknesses exposed by the pandemic.
Uga Dumpeis, an infectiologist in Latvia, points out that hospital
infrastructure remains largely unchanged.
cite="https://eng.lsm.lv/article/society/health/13.03.2025-what-did-latvia-learn-from-the-covid-crisis.a591370/" >“Western hospitals are now built with rooms with a single bed (to treat
infectious diseases),while we still consider that it is normal to have
four or five patients in the same room,”Uga Dumpeis,infectiologist in Latvia,
Fernando Almeida, president of the Portuguese National Health Institute,
warns against complacency.
cite="https://www.rtp.pt/noticias/pais/passaram-cinco-anos-desde-a-declaracao-da-pandemia-covid-19_v1639466" > “The greatest post-pandemic risk of the last five years is actually
forgetting,”
Fernando Almeida,president of the Portuguese National Health
Institute,
RTP
He emphasizes the ongoing threat of emerging viruses, such as the H5N1
strain.
Global Pandemic agreement: A Race Against Time
The World Health Organization (WHO) is working towards a global agreement
on pandemic preparedness. While acknowledging progress, WHO Director-general
Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus has stated that the world remains vulnerable.
Maria Van Kerkhove, responsible for epidemic and pandemic preparedness at
WHO, echoed this sentiment, emphasizing the need for continued vigilance.
Negotiations are underway to address critical gaps in information sharing
and equitable access to vaccines and resources. A final agreement is
sought before the next WHO annual assembly in May.
On January 20, 2021, a doctor and a nurse examined a patient in the
COVVI-19 unit of the Douppnitsa hospital.
afp Or licensors
The stakes are high, as a failure to reach a consensus risks repeating
the mistakes of the COVID-19 pandemic.
europe Grapples with Lasting Impact of COVID-19 Pandemic Five Years Later
Five years after the World Health Association (WHO) declared COVID-19 a global pandemic, europe continues to assess the long-term changes and vulnerabilities exposed by the crisis. public service media across the continent are reflecting on the pandemic’s impact and considering whether new threats could leave Europe similarly exposed.
Published: April 23, 2025, 08:20 CET
The WHO’s declaration in 2020 served as a critical alarm, drawing global attention to the escalating epidemic that had been reported as late 2019.
Europeans watched as the virus spread from china, with television images showing military trucks in Bergamo, italy, which became an early epicenter of the pandemic.
the Italian army was deployed to manage the overwhelming number of casualties in Bergamo and its province, where 6,000 deaths were recorded in a single month – a meaningful increase from the usual 2,000.
The mourning continues in the region, according to a report by Arte.
Shortly after the outbreak in Italy,similar statistics emerged across Europe.Within a month of the pandemic’s declaration, hospitals were overwhelmed, and governments struggled to respond effectively.
Spain became another major epicenter. By April 2,2020,the country reported 100,000 cases and 10,000 deaths,including 950 in one day.
Pedro Gullon, director general of the Spanish Public Health Agency, told RTVE that “In general, we were caught off guard.” He added that, in retrospect, the impact of the first wave could have been lessened, but stopping it entirely was unachievable.
Difficult Measures and Lessons
Pandemic-related terms like “antigens,” “PCR,” “mRNA,” “herd immunity,” and “curfew” became commonplace.
Repeated lockdowns, contact tracing, and isolation measures sparked increasing public discontent and protests.
In Belgium, demonstrations against COVID-19 preventive measures turned violent in 2021, according to the RTBF.
Belgian Minister of health Frank Vandenbroucke stated that the initial wave of COVID-19, followed by subsequent waves and variants, provided valuable lessons. He told RTBF that “The total closure of the school system, including support services, psychological and medical centers, etc., has been too much… what the government did at the vrey beginning was probably not the right strategy, but we learned the lessons.”
school closures appear to have had a particularly lasting impact, the full extent of which is still being evaluated.
In the Czech Republic, distance education led to a loss of social contact and increased isolation, contributing to a rise in mental health issues among children.
CT reported a disturbing increase in self-destructive behavior,especially among adolescent girls.
Lingering Challenges and Systemic Vulnerabilities
Uga Dumpeis, an infectiologist in Latvia, points out that hospital
infrastructure remains largely unchanged.
cite=”https://eng.lsm.lv/article/society/health/13.03.2025-what-did-latvia-learn-from-the-covid-crisis.a591370/” > “Western hospitals are now built with rooms with a single bed (to treat
infectious diseases),while we still consider that it is normal to have
four or five patients in the same room,”
uga Dumpeis, infectiologist in Latvia,
Fernando Almeida, president of the Portuguese National health Institute,
warns against complacency.
cite=”https://www.rtp.pt/noticias/pais/passaram-cinco-anos-desde-a-declaracao-da-pandemia-covid-19_v1639466″ > “The greatest post-pandemic risk of the last five years is actually
forgetting,”
Fernando Almeida, president of the Portuguese National Health
Institute,
He emphasizes the ongoing threat of emerging viruses,such as the H5N1
strain.
Global Pandemic agreement: A Race Against Time
The World Health Association (WHO) is working towards a global agreement
on pandemic preparedness. While acknowledging progress, WHO Director-general
Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus has stated that the world remains vulnerable.
maria Van Kerkhove, responsible for epidemic and pandemic preparedness at
WHO, echoed this sentiment, emphasizing the need for continued vigilance.
Negotiations are underway to address critical gaps in information sharing
and equitable access to vaccines and resources. A final agreement is
sought before the next WHO annual assembly in May.
On January 20, 2021, a doctor and a nurse examined a patient in the COVVI-19 unit of the Douppnitsa hospital. afp Or licensors
The stakes are high, as a failure to reach a consensus risks repeating
the mistakes of the COVID-19 pandemic.