Many aspects of our society have suffered from the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic from the health of those affected by the virus to the crisis and economic challenges faced. But according to experts and researchers, there is a growing problem that should be given more attention during this pandemic; That is the indirect impact of COVID-19 on children and adolescents.

Murdoch Children’s Research Institute (MCRI) latest research findings discovered children and adolescents are the most vulnerable to COVID-19’s indirect impacts. As the timeline of this pandemic is very unfavourable for the development and progress of the younger generation, policy responses and actions must be further affirmed to avoid the ongoing severity of a variety of indirect impacts.

While public health measures worked to restrain the spread of the virus, it’s undeniable children’s mental health and well-being, physical health, and academic results were negatively affected during the pandemic. Murdoch Children’s Professor Sharon Goldfeld expressed children were facing a “generation-defining disruption” due to the public health restrictions whereby reduced access to healthcare, adopting virtual learning, increased screen time, no structured sport, and less outside play would lead to immediate and long-term impacts.

Murdoch Children’s Research Institute is one of the organisations with significant contributions in the field of medical research. We will continue to support MCRI as we are all in this together for the welfare of our children’s future.

For more details about this topic please read the original article here and for an in-depth analysis of MCRI findings please see the research here.