NATURAL DISASTER CAUSED BY THE MASS OCCURRENCE OF HUMAN INFECTIOUS DISEASES: SELECTED LEGAL ISSUES AND EXPERIENCES FROM COVID-19 – EUROPEAN UNION AND POLISH PERSPECTIVE

The article deals with the issue of selected aspects of the legal qualification of threats leading to crisis  situations. The analysis also includes legal instruments for an appropriate response to these threats. The risk factor we focus on is an infectious disease, whose mass spread primarily affects the healthcare system, but - as the unprecedented experience of the COVID-19 pandemic shows - can paralyse the functioning of the state  and society in many dimensions. We focus primarily on the fundamental aspect, namely the decision of the authorities, both at national and EU level, as to whether the COVID-19 pandemic is a natural disaster. This finding is the reason for the introduction of extraordinary, episodic solutions. They can certain areas of socio-economic life, but also interfere with rights and freedoms. The experiences of the coronavirus pandemic have forced the review of the effectiveness of systemic solutions, including legal solutions to prevent and combat an epidemic of infectious disease epidemic in humans.