As of: March 19, 2024, 7:09 a.m
By: Bettina Menzel, Julia Hanigk
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A study reveals that the pandemic has changed life expectancy.
There is talk of “more serious consequences” than other events.
Washington DC – For almost seven decades, from 1950 to 2019, mortality rates declined worldwide.
A study by the University of Washington now shows a historical turning point.
According to this, global life expectancy recorded a decline of 1.6 years or 5.1 percent in 2020 and 2021.
Corona caused life expectancy to fall during 2020 and 2021
The study, published March 12 in the medical journal
The Lancet
, shows how significant the impact of the coronavirus has been on people's health.
Austin Schumacher, lead researcher on the study, summarized: “For adults around the world, the coronavirus pandemic has had more severe consequences than any other event in half a century, including conflict and natural disasters.”
In 84 percent of the 204 countries and territories surveyed, life expectancy was found to be declining during the pandemic.
The largest declines were recorded in Mexico City, Peru and Bolivia.
These data underscore the “destructive” consequences of new viruses, according to the scientists involved.
Symbolic image of the mortality rate during the corona pandemic.
© Rolf Poss/IMAGO
“Major inequalities in health care” must be reduced
According to the study, the so-called excess mortality, an indicator of the consequences of the virus, was 15.9 million deaths, around one million more than the World Health Organization (WHO) had previously assumed.
Older people or people with previous illnesses were particularly affected.
For children under five, however, the mortality rate fell during the pandemic, although more slowly than in previous years.
Hmwe Hmwe Kyu, a University of Washington researcher involved in the study, warned that humanity must prepare for "the next pandemic" and address "the vast health care inequalities between countries."
Pandemic also widened the gap between rich and poor
Despite the impact of the pandemic, living conditions worldwide are returning to pre-crisis levels, a UN Development Program (UNDP) report on the Human Development Index shows.
The study, published March 13, looked at living standards, life expectancy and education.
However, the pandemic has widened the gap between rich and poor countries.
Pedro Conceição, UNDP representative responsible for the report, noted: “What we see here is that the poorest and most vulnerable sections of our society are being left behind.”
More than half of the least developed countries have not yet been able to recover from the consequences of the pandemic.
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Despite Corona: Longer life expectancy
Despite the setbacks caused by Corona, there is a positive trend: over the last 70 years, average life expectancy has increased worldwide.
While people lived to an average of 49 years in 1950, in 2021 they reached an average age of 72.
According to the Federal Statistical Office, life expectancy in Germany is currently 83.2 years for girls and 78.3 years for boys.
Further positive news: The vaccination was at least able to contain the effects of the virus.
Nevertheless, millions of Long Covid cases are putting a strain on pension funds and the labor market and are causing billions in losses.
The editor wrote this article and then used an AI language model for optimization at her own discretion. All information has been carefully checked. Find out more about our AI principles here.