The main aim of the paper is to determine how the level and nature of Poland’s participation in global value chains (GVCs) changed during the COVID-19 pandemic. The point of reference for Poland were the countries of the European Union, Great Britain, the USA, and China. The study was conducted based on data from World Integrated Trade Solution (WITS). The methodology proposed by Borin, Mancini & Taglioni (2021) was used to study Poland’s participation in GVCs in 2019-2021. The following indicators – pure forward GVC participation, pure backward GVC participation, and two-sided GVC participation – led to the conclusion that the demand and supply shock had little impact on Poland’s share in GVCs. Poland’s dominant share in GVCs in industrial production sectors in the middle parts of value chains and in regionally determined trade were the main factors protecting against supply and demand shocks caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.