Years of neglecting young and old: Paying the piper during COVID-19 – a commentary

Abstract

Objective: In this paper, we argue that COVID-19 has demonstrated the seriousness of long-standing neglect of public education infrastructure, particularly where school health education and school-based health services are concerned, as well as having accentuated long-standing vulnerabilities among older adults. Methods: We examined practices about the divide between evidence-based recommendations of experts and system responses that leave a sizeable num-ber of Americans vulnerable to the worst aspects of COVID-19. Results: We identify practices in schools, as well as institutions that respond to the needs of older Americans that increase general risk across generations from the effects of the COVID-19 outbreak. We also caution against making unwarranted assumptions or generalizations about older adults in and out of care set-tings. Conclusion: Authorities need to learn lessons from the present pandemic to avoid similar types of vulnerability in future public health emergencies.