August 20, 2025

The COVID-19 pandemic had a devastating impact on the life and health of human beings worldwide. While the official death toll of the pandemic was reported to be 6.84 million by February 2023, the World Health Organisation (WHO) estimated that underreporting and indirect deaths might have brought the total to 14.9 million by 2021. This significant loss of life prompted research into the pandemic’s effects on life expectancy. ‘Impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on life expectancy at birth in Asia’ (BMC Public Health, 2023) by Mo Yan, Feng Qiushi (NUS Sociology and Anthropology), and Gu Danan examines changes in life expectancy across various Asian territories, influenced by differing governance approaches, containment policies, and infection rates throughout the pandemic.

The researchers obtained age-sex-specific mortality rates for 51 Asian countries and territories from 2019 to 2021 using data from the UN’s World Population Prospects 2022. Their analysis revealed that although Asia experienced a smaller loss in life expectancy compared to other continents, Southeast Asia suffered one of the largest declines globally. Geographical disparities were evident, with Eastern Asia being one of the least affected regions worldwide. Age-sex-specific changes showed similar patterns to other parts of the world—mortality rates for elderly individuals aged 60 and above were most affected while males were more impacted, likely due to biologically frailer immune systems.

The disproportionate impact across communities is largely attributed to the effectiveness and robustness of public health systems. East Asian countries and Singapore managed to mobilise healthcare resources effectively, focusing on the oldest-old populations and swiftly implementing public interventions such as lockdowns and mass vaccinations. This significantly reduced deaths and mitigated the reduction in life expectancy during this period. Additionally, factors such as socioeconomic status, health literacy, and lifestyles provide valuable insights for identifying vulnerable demographic groups for future policy interventions.

As COVID-19 transitions towards becoming globally endemic and lockdown rules relax, the researchers emphasise the importance of utilising growing data sources to better estimate death numbers. They hope that future, more complete reports will lead to improved recommendations and more effective policy interventions.

Read the article here.