The Covid-19 crisis reveals how much we value old age

Given that older people are an increasing share of society and that other pandemics will come, countries should revisit their priorities, writes Joan Costa-Font

 
The covid-19 pandemic has hit the older population more than other age cohorts, as their weaker immune system makes it harder to fight diseases and infection. Although all age groups are at risk of contracting the virus, older people face significant risk of developing a severe illness. Of all coronavirus-related deaths so far, 95% occurred in those older than 60 years. More than 50% of all fatalities involved people aged 80 years or older.

Yet, not only older people are more exposed to the risk of contagion and death, but policy reactions have unveiled (i) the different social value older people have in different countries, (ii) the consequences of limited investment in quality long-term care across countries (in a context where nursing homes in many countries have become ‘death homes’), and (iii) the lower priority that older people have in congested health care systems. The question that remains open is then how to keep elderly people safer, and what to do if they do become infected with Covid-19, which I discuss at the end of the article.

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