Opinion – Julio Abramczyk: The orphans of the Covid pandemic

With the reduction in the intensity of the spread of Covid-19 recently, the repercussion of the pandemic is beginning to be reassessed.

A study published in the journal Plos – Global Public Health by Callum Lowe and collaborators at the National University of Australia analyzes one of the consequences of the outbreak of the virus in several countries: the orphans of the pandemic.

As of December 10, there were 5,285,888 deaths from the coronavirus worldwide. Based on a Covid-19 orphan calculator, the team found that the risk of a child being orphaned was much higher in countries with below-average GDP (Gross Domestic Product) (1.56 orphans per Covid-19 death). compared to rich countries (0.09 orphans per Covid-19 death).

This difference shows more children orphaned in Angola by the death of adults by the pandemic than in Australia. That is, the increase in the number of orphans is associated with a higher prevalence of poverty in the country.
One of the main factors that reinforce the possibility of children losing their parents is the difficulty in accessing vaccines against Covid-19.

In Brazil, Ana Amélia Camarano, from Ipea (Institute of Applied Economic Research), warned in 2020 in the journal Ciência & Saúde Coletiva the expected trend of deaths and unemployment, even after the pandemic, with great impact on families. In her study, the author shows the impact of the early death of the elderly, especially those who are financially responsible for the family.