COVID decreased life expectancy for men in UK for first time in 40 yrs: Study

Life expectancy for men in the United Kingdom has declined for the first time in the last 40 years, according to a recent study by Office for National Statistics (ONS). Life expectancy for women, however, remained unchanged. According to the findings, the decline recorded in the life expectancy of men primarily stemmed from the coronavirus pandemic which claimed over 1.3 lakh lives in the UK. 

The ONS report revealed that a male child born between 2015 to 2017 was predicted to live for 79.2 years. However, for male newborns between 2018 to 2020, the number dropped to 70 years. Women's life expectancy, on the other hand, remained relatively constant, with 89.2 years for babies born between 2015 to 2020. The study also predicted that further declines may occur in the coming years before life expectancy begins to improve.

Life expectancy expected to improve after end of COVID pandemic    

Experts have, however, opined that the ONS projection does not imply that male kids born between 2018 to 2020 will definitely live shorter lives. Pamela Cobb, of the ONS Centre for Ageing and Demography, said that the data may change once the coronavirus pandemic is completely over as these projections are based on the notion that current mortality rates, which are extraordinarily high, will continue for the rest of someone's life.

It is likely that after the coronavirus pandemic is over and the repercussions for future mortality are recognised, life expectancy may begin to improve again, Cobb explained, adding that usually, life expectancy in the UK and around the world rises over time, with only a few exceptions. According to Oxford University research, the COVID-19 pandemic caused life expectancy to drop across most European countries and the United States in 2020, on a scale not seen since World War II.

'SARS-CoV-2 virus will weaken over time'

It must be mentioned here that the creator of the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine, Dame Sarah Gilbert said that deadly coronavirus will have no space to evade the immune system in the coming days. His statement comes a month after the World Health Organisation warned that COVID-19 may be nearing some kind of stage of 'endemicity.'

Gilbert further claimed that the virus will weaken over time which will eventually stop the deadly infection from spreading. Explaining further about the spreading tendency of the virus, the scientist said that the SARS-CoV-2 virus would grow less virulent over time. 

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