The article by Associate Professor Gizatullina G.A. analyzes the events occurring in the Republic of Kazakhstan during the pandemic. The author identifies four lessons that humanity must learn from the current reality. The first lesson is that the role of the state in the modern world must increase. The second lesson is the need for re-industrialization, in any case, Kazakhstan needs industrial development. The third lesson - it is necessary to restore medicine, especially such specialties as pulmonologists, virologists, microbiologists. As President Tokayev wrote about it correctly: “In the era of hybrid wars we need a developed medicine. The fourth lesson is that the effectiveness of a state is determined not by the number of officials, but by their quality. The pandemic has shown that the developed bureaucratic system is very burdensome, in connection with which Tokayev suggested reducing the bureaucratic apparatus and introducing young personnel there. The author offers not just an analysis of the events that took place, but also constructs a prospect of social development based on a knowledge-based economy.