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Global life expectancy falls for first time since records began due to Covid-19

The analysis, published by the ONE Campaign, has found that global life expectancy has fallen 1.64 years between 2019 and 2021.

Luke O'Reilly
Thursday 23 June 2022 00:01 BST
Life expectancy has dropped around the world (Joe Giddens/PA)
Life expectancy has dropped around the world (Joe Giddens/PA)

Global life expectancy has fallen for the first time since the 1950s following the Covid-19 pandemic, according to new analysis.

The analysis, published by the ONE Campaign, has found that global life expectancy has fallen 1.64 years between 2019 and 2021.

They warn that the situation could be worsened by a global food security crisis and the impact of climate change.

The public gets that this pandemic hasn’t ended

Romilly Greenhill, the ONE Campaign

This is the first time that global life expectancy has fallen since records began in 1950.

The anti-poverty group also found broad support among the UK public for the Government to take a leading role in ending the pandemic.

It found that 64% of UK adults agree that ending the Covid-19 pandemic around the world in 2022 should be a “top priority for the UK Government”.

Meanwhile 72% are against uneven access to vaccines between high-income and low-income countries.

Romilly Greenhill, UK director at the ONE Campaign said: “The public gets that this pandemic hasn’t ended. They get that the convergence of crises affects us all.

“If we want to protect ourselves and the economy, the government must listen to the public and lead on a global response to ending the pandemic.”

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