Youth or consequences: Put youth at the center of COVID-19 recovery

By Patrick Fine, Susan Reichle, Kristin M. Lord

While older adults suffer disproportionately from COVID-19’s health impacts, adolescents and young adults are likely to bear the brunt of the global economic and social crises unleashed by the coronavirus. Addressing these crises cannot wait until after the virus has receded. And young people themselves should be at the center of pandemic recovery plans. They are not just victims of these interlocking crises. They can be a cost-effective response to lead and contribute to mitigating the long-term health, economic, and social costs that their generation may experience most profoundly.

To date, the coronavirus