UNICEF: COVID-19 has a profound impact on children’s education, nutrition and well-being
November 20th is World Children’s Day. According to United Nations news, UNICEF issued a report on the eve of this anniversary this year, giving a comprehensive overview of the increasing consequences of the ongoing Coronavirus pandemic on children and recommending countermeasures.
UNICEF Executive Director Fowler said that during Coronavirus pandemic , there has been a saying that children are hardly affected by the disease, but this is not the case. The possibility of children getting sick and spreading the disease is just the tip of the iceberg. The disruption of key services and the surge in poverty rates pose the greatest threat to children. The longer the crisis lasts, the deeper the impact on children’s education, health, nutrition and well-being, and the future of the entire generation is at risk.
The latest UNICEF report shows that as of November 3, of the 87 countries that provide data by age, children and adolescents under the age of 20 accounted for 1/9 of the new coronavirus infection cases, accounting for 25.7 million reported by these countries. 11% of infection cases. Therefore, more reliable age-disaggregated infection, death, and testing data are needed to more accurately understand how the pandemic affects the most vulnerable children and guide response.
The report also pointed out that although children may spread the virus to each other and older groups, there is sufficient evidence that under basic safety measures, the net benefits of keeping schools open outweigh the costs of closing schools. Schools are not the main vector of community transmission, and children are more likely to contract the new coronavirus outside of school.
UNICEF calls on governments and partners to take the following actions: to ensure that all children have the opportunity to learn, including bridging the digital divide; to ensure access to nutrition and health services, and to make vaccinations affordable and accessible to every child; Support and protect the mental health of children and adolescents, put an end to childhood abuse, gender-based violence and neglect of these behaviors; improve access to safe drinking water, environmental sanitation and personal hygiene, and address environmental degradation and climate change; reverse children The trend of increasing poverty and achieving an inclusive recovery for all; and redoubled efforts to protect and support children and their families living in conflict, disaster, and displacement.
