COVID-19 caused 16.8 million life years lost in Europe

A new study shows that the COVID-19 pandemic caused a loss of 16.8 million healthy life years across 18 European countries from 2020 to 2022. Nearly 60% of these years were expected to be lived without disability. The research highlights that men lost 1.5 times more life years than women, with older adults suffering the most. Countries with lower vaccination rates and weaker economies experienced higher losses, indicating a link between public health readiness and pandemic outcomes. While COVID-related deaths decreased by 2022, non-COVID deaths continued to rise, suggesting ongoing healthcare disruptions. The study emphasizes the need for stronger healthcare systems and policies to address socioeconomic and gender disparities in health outcomes.