The long-term indirect impact of Covid-19 on child health

Abstract

The Covid-19 pandemic created unprecedented circumstances around the world. From the beginning of the pandemic, it became apparent that the direct and acute effects of the infection had a greater impact on the adult population and therefore skewed the care and services available towards adult medicine. Due to the strict social distancing rules enforced, which included school closure, a state of isolation for the young was created. In September 2020 we published a report that suggested the indirect impacts of the pandemic on children which were based on evidence from previous pandemics and small Covid-19 case studies as a means of advocating for the wellbeing of children and young people. We have now moved past the severe acute phase of the disease and the societal restrictions. In this 2023 review, we have searched the literature and used our personal experiences as paediatricians to explore whether our previous hypotheses were observed during the pandemic and to suggest further management plans to avoid the long-term repercussions of the disease on children and prepare for the future.