Fear of COVID-19 as a buffer in the relationship between perceived stress and life satisfaction in the Polish population at the beginning of the global pandemic.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, people experience significant stress and fear of infection, which negatively affect their life satisfaction. It can be assumed that during a global pandemic, most stressors are not directly linked to the risk of infection. Loss of job, isolation, lack of social support, or a total change in lifestyle may be more threatening to the well-being than the risk of infection, which many people do not consider as dangerous. Therefore, it can be assumed that people who experience a strong fear of COVID-19 may perceive inconveniences resulting from restrictions as less oppressive than people who do not feel fear.