UNICEF Shares Data Showing Children Have Suffered 'Insurmountable Damage' From COVID Restrictions
Now two years into the pandemic, some of our most vulnerable have suffered beyond repair. Ironically, the same protocols used to keep children safe, ended up proving harmful in many ways. That said, new data provided by UNICEF shows the grim reality that school shut downs, and masking have had on children worldwide.
To begin, UNICEF is the United Nations Children’s Fund. Essentially, they provide humanitarian aid to children throughout the world. Headquartered in New York, NY, UNICEF has an expanded presence in nearly 192 countries making it one of the largest child advocate groups in the world.
Now that introductions have been made, the data will be examined. First 2 important points, then below that the facts will be laid out in bullet points.
One, the figures from UNICEF’S research regard more than 616 million students
Two, in light of the mental and physical detriment caused by lockdowns, UNICEF Chief of Education pleas that “disruptions to learning must end…” and that “just reopening schools is not enough…” to recover the losses endured by children
The damages
The effect of school closures in up to 70% of 10-year-olds in low and middle income countries have left them unable to read or understand simple words/phrases. That up from 53% before the pandemic.
Ethiopia: grade school children learned on average only 30-40% of math compared to a normal school year.
USA: Learning loss in Texas, California, Colorado, Tennessee, North Carolina, Ohio, Virginia, and Maryland observed. Worst in Texas where 2/3 of 3rd grade math students tested below their grade level in 2021. That compared to only half in 2019
Brazilian states: 1 in 10 students between the ages of 10-15 notified institutions they would not be returning. Moreover, an estimated 75% of children are “off-track in reading” compared to 50% before the pandemic began.
South Africa: students 75% or more behind in a school year. Also, 400,000-500,000 dropped out from March 2020- July 2021.
Closures, isolation, and mandatory masking have increased anxiety and depression. Specifically, studies listed herein indicate young school aged girls living in rural areas suffered the worse.
370 million children worldwide who rely on food from schools, missed breakfast and lunches which were their only dependable source of nutrition.
All and all, children have absorbed an unnecessary blow from draconian COVID-19 restrictions they will likely never recover from. When the history books are written, we will look cruel and insensitive for the damage caused to their physical and mental health.
Keep in mind, one of the largest predictors of health and well-being is socioeconomic status, and that is mainly predicated on education. In other words, those with lower socioeconomic status caused by lack of education will likely endure higher rates of co-morbidities, and mental health ailments. Most certainly, those where losses are irreparable.
Considering that Omicron is the dominant strain worldwide and induces less severe disease, and that current vaccines are not effective against it, restrictions needed to be removed. That means, no more school closures or masking mandates for children.
REFERENCES:
https://en.unesco.org/covid19/educationresponse
State of the Global Education Crisis report
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