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"The Geographies of COVID-19: Geospatial Stories of a Global Pandemic" is a book reviewed in the Hungarian Geographical Bulletin, focusing on the ongoing impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. The book explores the relationship between health and place from a global perspective, analyzing the geographic features of the pandemic. It provides case studies and examples of geospatial analysis to understand the inequalities and vulnerabilities experienced in different regions around the world. The book aims to help readers comprehend the complexity of the pandemic's geographies and its multi-dimensional consequences, making it a valuable resource for researchers, professionals, and students interested in health geography and GIS applications. [Extracted from the article]

The availability of health care services is an important issue, however, improving availability of health care services does not necessarily mean better accessibility for everybody. The main aim of this study is to find out how better availability in the care of acute myocardial infarction vary with accessibility of patients’ geographical location within Hungary. We applied statistical analysis and interview techniques to unfold the role of spatiality in the conditions of access to health care. Results of statistical analysis indicate significant health inequalities in Hungary. Decreasing national mortality rates of acute myocardial infarction, has been coupled by increasing spatial inequalities within the country especially at micro-regional level. According to in-depth interviews with local health care stakeholders we defined factors that support access to health care as well as important barriers. The supporting factors are related to the improvement of availability (i.e. infrastructural developments), while geographical distance, lack of material and human resources, or low level of health literacy proved to be the most relevant barriers. Main conclusion is that barriers to accessibility and availability are not only spatial but are also based on individual stages of acute myocardial infarction care. The development of cardiac catheter centres in Hungary has improved the short-term chances of infarction survival, but long-term survival chances have worsened in recent years due to deficiencies in rehabilitation care as well as low level of health literacy.