It is a different world for the 256 million children born in the past two years. In a pre-covid-19 scenario, their parents would have been relieved to bring them into a world where the current average human life expectancy is around 82 years. “At the start of 2020, more children were living to see their first birthday than at any time in history. Child mortality had fallen by 50 per cent since 2000. Maternal mortality and child marriages were on the decline and more girls were going to and staying in school than ever before,” says Henrietta Fore, executive director of the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF). One could argue that those 256 million children would have indeed inherited a planet better suited for human life in comparison to a decade ago—had they not been born in the shadow of covid-19. The pandemic has dashed this generation’s hope of a better future.
When the viral infection broke out in late 2019, the entire focus of healthcare administrators and scientists was on adults and the older population WHO were more vulnerable to covid-19; children were considered to be the least affected by it. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), between December 30, 2019, and October 25, 2021, under-five children accounted for just 2 per cent of the total global cases and 0.1 per cent of deaths; those in the age group of 5-14 years accounted for 7 per cent of cases and 0.1 per cent of deaths. But in just a few months, the pandemic began to show its myriad impacts on children which will have a lasting effect on their health, education, and ability to earn.
Denne historien er fra January 01, 2022-utgaven av Down To Earth.
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Denne historien er fra January 01, 2022-utgaven av Down To Earth.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
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A SPRIG TO CARE FOR
Punarnava, a perennial herb, is easy to grow and has huge health benefits
DIGGING A DISASTER
Soapstone mining near Dabti Vijaypur village has caused many residents to migrate.
REVIEW THE TREATMENT
Several faecal sludge treatment plants in Uttar Pradesh suffer from design flaws that make the treatment process both expensive and inefficient
MAKE STEEL SUSTAINABLE
As India works to double its GDP by 2030, its steel industry must balance growth with sustainability. By embracing policies like the Steel Scrap Recycling Policy 2019 and adopting green technologies, India is paving the way for a more sustainable future in steel production
Can ANRF pull off the impossible for India?
Anusandhan National Research Foundation is expected to reorient India's innovation goals but funding issues, old mindsets remain a drag
TROUBLED WOODS
Forests are a great bulwark against climate change. But this is fast changing. AKSHIT SANGOMLA travels through some of the pristine patches of the Western Ghats to explore how natural disturbances triggered by global warming now threaten the forest health
BLINDING GLOW
The science is clear: increased illumination has damaging consequences for the health of humans, animals and plants. It’s time governments introduced policies to protect the natural darkness and improved the quality of outdoor lighting.
GROUND REALITY
What happens when the soil loses the ability to grow healthy, high-yield crops on its own?
GM POLICY MUST BE FARMER CENTRIC
On July 23, the Supreme Court of India directed the Union government to develop a national policy on genetically modified (GM) crops for research, cultivation, trade and commerce through public consultation.
Vinchurni's Gandhi
A 96-year-old farmer transforms barren land into a thriving forest in drought-prone region of Satara
