On Mar. 14, 2024, the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation (IHME) released all-cause mortality, life expectancy, and population results from the 2021 Global Burden of Disease study (GBD). The findings uncovered a significant shift in global life expectancy. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, it is estimated that life expectancy declined by 1.6 years worldwide.

The study, published in The Lancet, focused on the gravity of the pandemic. The death toll from COVID-19 marked a reversal in past increases in life expectancy. Despite this grave reality, the study found a positive trend: mortality rates among children under 5 decreased by 7% from 2019 to 2021.