COVID-19 has now added another dimension to our lives, on average a one year shorter life span.

I am not one to complain since I feel I have been very lucky during the pandemic to be able to keep working and spending quality time with my son with all of our outdoor activities. Although I know people who have caught the virus, I have not had anyone in the family or close friends experience death to COVID-19.

It is sometimes depressing to hear the death totals for the pandemic overall and not to mention the daily death updates. Plus there is still a lot of uncertainty regarding the after effects of COVID-19 for those who has the disease.

According to WOOD, the average life expectancy for a person in the United States has dropped one year. You have to go back as far as World War II in the 1940s to see such a decline. That decline wasn't from a disease but actual war.

Something else that has been uncovered in this new decline in how long a U.S. citizen will live, that it is even worse for Black Americans who on average lost 3 years of life expectancy while Hispanics have lost 2 years.

What is even scarier is that scientists and healthcare professionals still don't know what is to come of those who had severe cases of COVID-19 and the damage they received to their lungs and other vital organs will have in the years to come. This could lead to even lower numbers of life expectancy in the next few years.

COVID-19 is not the only culprit, lets not forget the damage from heart disease and cancer that takes millions of lives each year.

Basically a year ago the average American was expected to live to be 79 years of age. That has now fell to 78 and the number could potentially fall even lower before the end of this year. If we break that down even further, men are now expected to live until 75 while woman can expect to live to 80.

With better healthcare systems, eating habits and more and more people exercising, life expectancy had been growing. So I guess to help keep the number from dropping anymore, it looks like continuing to wear a mask, social distance, keep the hands clean, get vaccinated and if you haven't started eating healthier and exercising, now it a good time to start.

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