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Nava Azmak
Jose Lopez
Brianne Sandberg
Professor Sieverts
English 2010
24 February 2021
The Impacts of Covid-19 on Youth
Covid-19 has been a devastating pandemic that has not only affected millions of people,
but killed millions as well. As Covid-19 continues to spread, we proceed to feel the effects of the
pandemic that has greatly impacted our day to day lives. Our everyday lives seem to have come
to a halt, especially the lives of youth. Normal daily activities such as going to school, attending
sport practice and hanging out with friends seem to be a thing of the past. With limited social
interaction, facial coverings and such a dramatic change to everyday living, youth are struggling
more than ever with their mental and physical health, maintaining good grades in school, and
finding jobs.
Mental Health
Before the pandemic began, mental disorders in youth had already been a significant
problem. Claire McCarthy, a primary care pediatrician at Boston Children's Hospital, states,
“According to the National Institutes of Health, nearly 1 in 3 of all adolescents ages 13 to 18
will experience an anxiety disorder. These numbers have been rising steadily; between 2007 and
2012, anxiety disorders in children and teens went up 20%.” (McCarthy). On top of that, one in
five youth ages 9-17 have a mental disorder that causes some degree of impairment. Every year,
there has been an increase in mental illnesses, but the pandemic has only seemed to worsen an
already desperate situation. Now, there is an extreme mental health crisis in youth due to the
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pandemic, worse
than it ever has
been in the past.
Health care
workers, school
counselors,
psychologists, and
therapists are now overwhelmed with the number of patients and students suffering from mental
illness. “This is the biggest problem we’ve run into,” states Klint Hobbes, director of Brigham
Young University’s Counseling Services. “Before the pandemic, campus mental health facilities
across the country were already struggling to serve a growing number of students experiencing
mental health crises.” Health care workers are now desperately trying to make arrangements to
fit more patients and students into their schedule. The demand for professional help is higher
than ever before, and therapists are under a great amount of strain during this time of uncertainty.
School Closures and Social Impacts
Social distancing and the interference of typical school routines can be particularly
difficult for youth. Those challenges stem from the inability to see friends and peers, school
closures, and being in the house with family. Youth have different developmental needs than
adults; some of the essential developmental stages of adolescents are to develop empathy, social
skills, and a sense of identity. These tasks are developed and enhanced through contact and
interaction with peers. Younger people are at a phase in life when they are very invested in social
connections and separating from their parents. Therefore, Covid-19 social distancing
requirements have various emotional impacts on them than adults. The school closures and social
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distance are likely to result in increased loneliness, greater risk of anxiety, sleep disruptions, and
thoughts of suicide. According to Rousseau, Professor Division of Social and Cultural
Psychiatry, “The mental health consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic in youth have been
diverse, ranging from the onset of stress-related disorders to the exacerbation of preexisting
disorders, including a flare-up in cyber dependence, and also, in rare cases, the alleviation of
disorders (eg, school phobia for some)” (Rousseau).
Evidence shows that the lockdown has had a significant impact on adolescence’s
education and wellbeing. Upon returning to school, students will not only have educational
setbacks but also setbacks in their emotional and social abilities. This impact will be long term
and lasting many years.
Despite the commitment shown by the education system in securing educational
continuity during the lockdown, not every student has been able to have access to their
education. According to a study sponsored by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and
Development, “Students from less well-off families are less likely to have access to digital
learning resources and parental support for home learning. Across OECD countries, more than
one in ten 15-year olds from socio-economically disadvantaged schools do not have a quiet space
to study at home nor an internet connection. One in five do not have access to a computer for
schoolwork.” Although the lockdown was put in place to keep people safe from the Covid-19, it
may have also placed some young people in danger. In reality, there is a higher chance that child
abuse and neglect have increased during the lockdown. However, without channels of
communication, for instance nurses offices and schools, these cases have not been reported.
“What the data shows is that many child abuse and neglect reports come in through school;
teachers, paraprofessionals, and nurses are mandated reporters,” says Lindauer, who is an
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associate clinical professor of law at Northeastern. “In a non-pandemic world, [if] kids come in
with a bruise, or they haven’t been fed or bathed, or they have consistent injuries or pain, that
potentially could
be reported to a
child welfare
agency.”
(Lindauer, 2020,
as cited in
Sarwari). This is
why reopening
schools is crucial,
to avoid the negative effects of distance learning and social isolation.
Malnutrition and Physical Activity
School closures have fed into the existing problem of malnutrition in adolescents. “More
than 39 billion in-school meals have been missed globally since the start of the Covid-19
pandemic due to school closures” (“unicef for every child”). School meals play an important role
in the appropriate mental and physical development of the human body. Children having to stay
at home are compelled to miss out on these necessary nutrients. Malnutrition begins with
nutritional deficiencies which can “occur in children when their diets include an excess of foods
that are high in fat, sugar and salt” (“The Royal Children’s Hospital Melbourne”).
Adolescents staying at home are choosing to eat meals and drink fluids enriched with
high levels of sugar and salt that can be destructive to adolescence growth spurts. The day-to-day
salt intake coming from boxed, processed, and fast food “can elevate blood pressure and increase
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the risk of stroke, heart attack, and kidney disease” (“Colonial Healthcare”). Furthermore, their
salt intake isn’t the only leading cause to malnutrition. “Consuming a high amount of added
sugars in processed, packaged, or prepared foods, and soda pop or sugary drinks has recently
been linked to an increased risk of cardiovascular disease” (“Colonial Healthcare”). School
closures have linked to major health problems it additionally contributes to the issue of
malnourishment and less physical fitness. Adolescents are not able to participate in school
recess, physical exercises classes, and school sports.
Minors are becoming less motivated to go outside and play. According to Wayne Lewis,
Writer at the University of Southern California “Parents reported that children were less
physically active during the pandemic” (Lewis). Youngsters are less inclined to partake in
physical fitness outside of school which can have a negative effect on children’s health. If the
routine of exercising less and sitting more outlives the pandemic, Covid-19 can have a massive
impact on adolescents. This could lead to declines in mental health, declines in attention span
and increases in sleep disruption. Long-term consequences may include increases in childhood
obesity, and an attendant rise in risk for metabolic syndrome and type 2 diabetes” (Lewis). These
are just a few of the consequences of adolescence not meeting their criteria of physical activity.
Parents, siblings, and government officials need to implicate a method to help combat the short
term and long-term effects of Covid-19 in adolescents.
Covid-19 has had a major effect on youth’s mental, social and physical well-being.
Many young people are facing challenges that can be overwhelming, however there are various
coping mechanisms that can be used to manage the hardships the pandemic has caused. Some
healthy ways to cope with stress and anxiety include taking care of your body by having a
balanced diet, meditating, and engaging in physical activity. While practicing social distancing,
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adolescents who are experiencing loneliness should connect with their peers or relatives through
social media, online, by phone, or email. Although everyone responds to stressful situations
differently, these are steps young people can take to help cope with the stress.
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Work Cited
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. “COVID-19 and Your Health.” Centers for
Disease Control and Prevention, 11 Feb. 2020, www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-
ncov/daily-life-coping/managing-stress-anxiety.html. Accessed 24 Feb. 2021.
Colonial Healthcare. “Protect Your Heart: Hold the Salt and Hold the Sugar.” Colonial
Healthcare, www.colonialhealthcare.com/FromtheDctorsDesk. Accessed 24 Feb.
2021.
Evans, Erica. “How COVID-19 Created a Mental Health Crisis for Some College
Students.” Deseret News, 26 May 2020,
www.deseret.com/indepth/2020/5/25/21248639/college-campus-coronavirus-
mental-health-therapy-counseling-telehealth-barriers-to-care-byu. Accessed 24
Feb. 2021.
Lewis, Wayne. “COVID-19 Pandemic Widens Exercise Gap between Younger
Schoolchildren and Adolescents.” University of Southern California, 14 Oct.
2020, keck.usc.edu/study-covid-19-pandemic-widens-exercise-gap-between-
younger-schoolchildren-and-adolescents. Accessed 24 Feb. 2021.
McCarthy, Claire. “Anxiety in Teens Is Rising: What’s Going On?”
HealthyChildren.Org, 20 Nov. 2019, www.healthychildren.org/English/health-
issues/conditions/emotional-problems/Pages/Anxiety-Disorders.aspx#:
%7E:text=According%20to%20the%20National%20Institutes,and%20teens
%20went%20up%2020%25. Accessed 24 Feb. 2021.
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UNICEF for Every Child. “Nutrition Crisis Looms as More than 39 Billion In-School
Meals Missed since Start of Pandemic – UNICEF and WFP.” UNICEF, 27 Jan.
2021, www.unicef.org/press-releases/nutrition-crisis-looms-more-39-billion-
school-meals-missed-start-pandemic-unicef-and. Accessed 24 Feb. 2021.
Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development. “Youth and COVID-19:
Response, Recovery and Resilience.” OECD, 11 June 2020,
www.oecd.org/coronavirus/policy-responses/youth-and-covid-19-response-
recovery-and-resilienAce-c40e61c6. Accessed 24 Feb. 2021.
Panchal, Nirmita, et al. “The Implications of COVID-19 for Mental Health and Substance
Use.” KFF, 10 Feb. 2021, www.kff.org/coronavirus-covid-19/issue-brief/the-
implications-of-covid-19-for-mental-health-and-substance-use. Accessed 24 Feb.
2021.
Rousseau, Cécile, and Diana Miconi. “Protecting Youth Mental Health During the
COVID-19 Pandemic: A Challenging Engagement and Learning Process.”
ScienceDirect, 1 Nov. 2020,
linkinghub.elsevier.com/retrieve/pii/S0890856720313745. Accessed 24 Feb.
2021.
Sarwari, Khalida. “Closed Schools Could Be Putting Children at Risk during the COVID-
19 Pandemic.” News @ Northeastern, 13 Oct. 2020,
news.northeastern.edu/2020/10/13/closed-schools-could-be-putting-children-at-
risk-during-the-covid-19-pandemic. Accessed 24 Feb. 2021.
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The Royal Children’s Hospital Melbourne. “Kids Health Information : Nutrition –
School-Age to Adolescence.” The Royal Children’s Hospital Melbourne,
www.rch.org.au/kidsinfo/fact_sheets/Nutrition_older_children. Accessed 24 Feb.
2021.
Townsend, Ellen. “Debate: The Impact of School Closures and Lockdown on Mental
Health in Young People.” Association for Child and Adolescent Mental Health, 1
Nov. 2020, acamh.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/camh.12428. Accessed
24 Feb. 2021.
United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund. “Nutrition Crisis Looms as
More than 39 Billion In-School Meals Missed since Start of Pandemic – UNICEF
and WFP.” UNICEF, 27 Jan. 2021, www.unicef.org/press-releases/nutrition-
crisis-looms-more-39-billion-school-meals-missed-start-pandemic-unicef-and.
Accessed 24 Feb. 2021.
Volkin, Samuel. “The Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Adolescents.” The Hub, 11
May 2020, hub.jhu.edu/2020/05/11/covid-19-and-adolescents/. Accessed 24 Feb.
2021.
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