Washington, June 24 (TIWN) Covid-19 pandemic decreased life expectancy in the US by 1.87 years, between 2018 and 2020, a drop not seen since World War II, according to new research.

The numbers are even worse for people of colour. On average, whereas life expectancy among white Americans decreased by 1.36 years in 2020, it decreased by 3.25 years in Black Americans and 3.88 years in Hispanic Americans, revealed the research published in the journal of the British Medical Association.  “It’s like nothing we’ve seen since World War II. 1943 was the last time the US had such a large decrease in life expectancy,” said lead author Steven Woolf, and director Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU) Center on Society and Health.