The Covid-19 pandemic caused global life expectancy to fall by 1.6 years between 2019 and 2020.
- The pandemic killed nearly 16 million people worldwide in 2020 and 2021 and led to a decline in global life expectancy of 1.6 years according to a new study.
- However, mortality among children under 5 continued to decline between 2019 and 2021.
- Although global life expectancy has decreased, the progress made in recent decades has not been erased. Between 1950 and 2021, it increased by almost 23 years, from 49 to 71.7 years.
“For adults around the world, the Covid-19 pandemic has had a more profound impact than any event seen in half a century, including conflict and natural disasters”says co-first author Dr. Austin E. Schumacher of the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation (IHME) at the University of Washington.
His study, published in the journal The Lancet this March 11, reveals that global life expectancy fell by 1.6 years between 2019 and 2021. This presents a reversal of the upward trends observed in previous decades.
Covid-19: mortality has increased in 2 years
In this work which presents the updated estimates of the study Global Burden of Disease Study (GBD) 2021, researchers estimate that the Covid-19 pandemic has led to an increase in global mortality among people over 15 years old. It increased by 22% for men and 17% for women between 2019 and 2021.
“During the Covid-19 pandemic, mortality among older people around the world increased in a manner unprecedented in the previous 70 years”specifies communicated. On the other hand, that of those under 5 years old fell during the crisis, with half a million fewer deaths in 2021 compared to 2019. Child mortality rates have thus fallen by 7% in two years.
According to the team’s calculations, the coronavirus is responsible for the deaths of nearly 16 million people worldwide in 2020 and 2021 and led to a decline in global life expectancy of 1.6 years between 2019 and 2020.
“Life expectancy has declined in 84% of countries and territories during this pandemic, demonstrating the potentially devastating impacts of new pathogens”adds Dr. Austin E. Schumacher.
Pandemic: Covid-19 has not completely reduced the progress made
However, while the coronavirus has had a devastating effect on the world, it has not completely erased the progress of recent decades. Life expectancy at birth increased by almost 23 years between 1950 and 2021, from 49 years to 71.7 years.
“Our study suggests that, even after taking stock of the terrible loss of life the world has seen from the pandemic, we have made incredible progress over 72 years since 1950, with child mortality continuing to decline global scale”warns co-first author Dr. Hmwe Hmwe Kyu of IHME at the University of Washington. “Now, continuing to build on our successes, while preparing for the next pandemic and addressing the vast health disparities between countries, should be our highest priority.”