The coronavirus pandemic was one of the worst the world ever faced which left billions of people in isolation for multiple months and affected almost everyone on the planet. A study published in The Lancet has revealed the profound effect of the pandemic on the global health, even reducing life expectancy all over the world.

According to the recent findings from the Global Burden of Disease Study (GBD) 2021, the pandemic led to a decrease in global life expectancy by 1.6 years between 2019 and 2021. However, it's not all bad, as even if the life expectancy in adults has decreased, it has been observed in the study that the child mortality rate continues to decline. This is shown in that data which says that there were half a million less deaths among children under the age of 5 in 2021 compared to 2019, with the rate falling by 7%.

Dr Austin E. Schumacher, Acting Assistant Professor of Health Metrics Sciences at the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation (IHME) at the University of Washington, emphasised the unprecedented nature of the pandemic's impact, stating, "For adults worldwide, the Covid-19 pandemic has had a more profound impact than any event seen in half a century, including conflicts and natural disasters."

The research also reported areas of high mortality due to Covid-19, such as Jordan and Nicaragua, and noted significant life expectancy declines in South African provinces. In contrast, regions like Barbados, New Zealand, and Antigua and Barbuda experienced some of the lowest age-adjusted excess mortality rates.

The study not only assessed the immediate impacts of the pandemic but also explored its implications for the future of healthcare systems, economies, and societies worldwide. Additionally, the study also observed shifting demographic trends, including slowing population growth and an ageing global population, which pose new social, economic, and political challenges.

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