Impact of pandemic on wellbeing of the young and the economy must not be trivialised

Young people had not gone into the coronavirus pandemic in good shape because of the effects of the global financial crisis. Photograph: Veryan Dale/Alamy

From the outset it was obvious the coronavirus pandemic would be brutal on the UK’s young people. Just how brutal has only become apparent over time.

Children, teenagers and adults in their early 20s were the least likely to have adverse physical consequences but suffered most from the restrictions put in place to prevent the virus spreading. Children were deprived of education. Teenagers were stuck in their homes and unable to see their friends in person.