COVID Has Lowered US Life Expectancy By 13 Months

January 15, 2021 Coronavirus, Science

Researchers say the COVID-19 pandemic is lowering the average American’s life expectancy. A study by the National Academy of Sciences found the average lifetime for an American is now reduced by one year and six weeks.

The reduction gets more drastic for communities hit hardest by the pandemic. Researchers say the life expectancy for African Americans has been reduced by more than two years, three years for Latinos.

The pandemic has undone a lot of the progress the U.S. was making to improve life expectancy among the general population. Life expectancy increased about 10 years in the last 50 years.

COVID-19 reduced U.S. life expectancy, especially among Black and Latino populations https://t.co/Df6UzeYhW2

— ScienceDaily (@ScienceDaily) January 15, 2021

COVID Live Updates: Pandemic lowers average US life expectancy https://t.co/tn9y7f0pJx pic.twitter.com/qD6d7qmtus

— Eyewitness News (@ABC7NY) January 15, 2021