COVID-19 Pandemic Shaved Off Nearly 2 Years From Global Life Expectancy, Study Finds | Weather.com – The Weather Channel

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For over 70 years, humanity enjoyed a steady climb in life expectancy. From a mere 49 years in 1950, the average person could expect to live over 73 years by 2019. But a new study published in The Lancet reveals a sobering setback. The COVID-19 pandemic has reversed this trend, causing a global decline in life expectancy.

The research, led by the University of Washington, analysed data from 204 countries. Life expectancy plummeted from 73.4 years in 2019 to 71.8 years in 2021 a direct consequence of the 16 million deaths attributed to COVID-19 or its ripple effects on healthcare access. This comes as a serious blow after researchers recently revealed that climate change could reduce our life expectancy by up to six months on average.

"The pandemic's impact on global life expectancy is unlike anything we've seen in the past 50 years," stated lead author Austin Schumacher. This decline surpasses the effects of wars and natural disasters.

While this paints a concerning picture, the impact wasn't evenly felt. High-income countries like Australia, New Zealand, and Japan actually saw a rise in life expectancy, likely due to their robust healthcare systems and effective pandemic measures. But places like Bolivia and parts of South Africa experienced some of the steepest declines, particularly among younger populations. This highlights how COVID's impact goes beyond overall life expectancy, disproportionately affecting specific demographics.

Accounting for age distribution revealed additional disparities. Jordan and Nicaragua, for instance, concealed a high death toll when data was lumped together. Conversely, New Zealand and some Caribbean nations had lower age-adjusted mortality rates despite declining life expectancy.

Meanwhile, despite the grim overall picture, there's a bright spot. The study found a 7% decrease in child mortality rates between 2019 and 2021, with half a million fewer deaths of children under 5.

"Even amidst this tragedy, we've made significant progress in reducing child mortality," remarked co-lead author Hmwe Kyu. However, stark regional disparities remain, with South Asia and sub-Saharan Africa still grappling with the highest rates.

This research sheds light on the pandemic's devastating toll and highlights the need for targeted interventions to protect vulnerable populations and ensure continued progress in child health.

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COVID-19 Pandemic Shaved Off Nearly 2 Years From Global Life Expectancy, Study Finds | Weather.com - The Weather Channel