This essay is devoted to respiratory diseases in general and coronaviruses in particular. The article reflects the causes of respiratory diseases, their treatment and mortality rates. The main part is focused on the new type of coronavirus COVID-19, which triggered a pandemic around the world in 2020. It describes disease pathogens, methods of transmission, course and symptoms of illness, treatment and development of a vaccine. The last part deals with the impact of COVID-19 on the economy, education and culture in the Czech Republic, as well as on the daily life of Czechs.