1.5 million children worldwide have been orphaned by the pandemic

According to a new study, an estimated 1.5 million children worldwide have been orphaned because of the COVID-19 pandemic

Approximately every 12 seconds a child loses their parent or primary caregiver to COVID-19 and an estimated 1.5 million children worldwide have been orphaned as a result.

Urgent investments are needed to address this global crisis and support children.

Now a new study has outlined key strategies to prevent, prepare and protect against this loss.

Vaccinate caregivers

Study author Professor Lucie Cluver, Oxford University and the University of Cape Town South Africa, said: “We have strong evidence from HIV and Ebola to guide solutions.

“We need to support extended families or foster families to care for children, with cost-effective economic strengthening, parenting programs, and school access.

“We need to vaccinate caregivers of children, especially grandparent caregivers. And we need to respond fast because every 12 seconds a child loses their caregiver to COVID.

“The UKRI GCRF Accelerate Hub allowed us to move swiftly in this global crisis. It shows the value that comes from supporting UK research to meet urgent global challenges.”

This study was funded by:

• UKRI Global Challenges Research Fund Accelerator Hub
• the Medical Research Council
• the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council
• UK National Institute for Health Research
• Imperial College COVID-19 Research Fund
• the US National Institutes of Health

It included researchers from:

• Oxford University
• the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
• the University of Cape Town South Africa
• Imperial College
• UCL
• Harvard University.