COVID-19 deaths in 2020 led to the biggest life expectancy drop in the United States since World War II, according to a new reports from a federal research group.In global COVID developments, cases rose for the fourth week in a row, led by the more transmissible BA.4 and BA.5 Omicron subvariants, the World Health Organization (WHO) said today in its weekly pandemic update.Impact from COVID death varied by raceThe life expectancy drop was detailed in provisional data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS).
Life expectancy declined 1.5 years from 2019 to 2020, from 78.8 years in 2019 to 77.3 years in 2020. Life expectancy during that period was the lowest since 2003 and represented the biggest 1-year drop since World War II, when it declined 2.9 years between 1942 and 1943.COVID deaths contributed 74% to the recent life expectancy decline.
Other factors included rises in deaths from accidents or unintentional injuries, part of which included drug overdose deaths, which reached an all-time high in 2020.
The CDC said other contributors included homicide, diabetes, and chronic liver disease and cirrhosis.The team found racial differences in life expectancy declines, with Hispanic Americans, especially males, experiencing the largest decline in 2020.