Delaying Death Amid the Coronavirus Pandemic

By Joseph ChamieNEW YORK, Jun 15 2020 (IPS) While the end of life remains the inescapable fate of every man, woman and child, death can be delayed as has been demonstrated repeatedly throughout human history. Amid the current coronavirus pandemic, a paramount objective is delaying death from Covid-19 for many millions of people across the globe. Yet, now approaching 500,000 Covid-19 deaths worldwide and many more expected before a vaccine becomes available, the objective of delaying deaths due to the novel coronavirus is far from being realized. Greater efforts are clearly required to contain the pandemic’s spread and minimize its lethal consequences, especially among those most vulnerable. Delaying death has significantly extended the length of human lives worldwide. Average life expectancy at birth today for the world is 73 years, or more than twice the level at the start of the 20th century. At age 60 years average life expectancy is 21 years, which is nearly a decade longer than it was at the end of the Second World War, with growing numbers of those older women and men surviving to become centenarians. Since the start of 2020, the numbers of Covid-19 deaths have grown rapidly and spread relentlessly across the globe. Among the major regions, however, Covid-19 deaths are distributed very differently than the world’s estimated total annual deaths. The more developed regions, which account for 22 percent of total annual deaths worldwide, have experienced a surprising 72...
Source: IPS Inter Press Service - Health - Category: International Medicine & Public Health Authors: Tags: Global Headlines Health TerraViva United Nations Source Type: news