“Their access to education, socialization and essential services including health, nutrition and protection has decreased. The signs that children will bear the scars of the pandemic for years to come are unmistakable,” Fore said in the statement. For 168 million students around the world, schools have been closed for nearly a year. At least one in seven children or adolescents has spent the majority of the past year under lockdown orders, increasing anxiety, depression and isolation. The coronavirus has also led to the suspension of vaccination campaigns against other diseases — starting with measles — in 26 countries, increasing threats to the health of non-immunized people.

Source: Manila Times March 11, 2021 05:03 UTC