Health Journal Online

Tag: Lasting

  • Did COVID Lockdowns Doom Britain’s Youth? Inquiry Reveals Childhood ‘Torn Apart’ – Lasting Harm Was No Secret

    Did COVID Lockdowns Doom Britain’s Youth? Inquiry Reveals Childhood ‘Torn Apart’ – Lasting Harm Was No Secret

    In a stark revelation shaking Britain’s pandemic response, the UK COVID-19 Inquiry on 29 September 2025 exposed how lockdowns inflicted grievous harm on children, tearing at the very fabric of childhood through school closures and enforced isolation.

    Witnesses detailed severe, long-lasting impacts on education, mental health, and social development, with government decisions prioritising adults over youth despite known risks. As testimonies unfolded, it became clear that lasting harm to Britain’s youth was no secret, yet officials proceeded, dooming a generation to profound consequences.

    Inquiry Exposes Grievous Harm

    The inquiry’s major research report, published 15 September 2025, drew from interviews with 600 children aged 9-22, highlighting disrupted routines and missed milestones as an ‘empty time‘ of pandemic effects.

    Participants described family tensions and emotional drain, with one noting: ‘That was, like, very difficult having my mum, my auntie, my uncle; my brother was there as well and my cousin. So it was a very crowded place. It was also very, like, emotionally draining with kind of like family stuff. So I did end up, like, developing anxiety… I was very sad a lot of the time…’ This underscores how COVID lockdowns amplified home-based vulnerabilities for Britain’s youth.

    School Closures Chaos

    Government planning for school closures began only on 17 March 2020, the day before the announcement, despite earlier focus on keeping schools open. Former education secretary Gavin Williamson described the shift as a ‘discombobulating 24-hour sea change,’ highlighting inadequate preparation across UK nations. This failure exacerbated education disruption, with children missing crucial learning and social interactions.

    Online learning challenges included limited device access, as one child said: ‘I learn best when I have a physical thing in front of me …’ Exam cancellations and grade frustrations affected university aspirations, compounding long-term impacts.

    Vulnerable children suffered most, with schools as ‘constant eyes‘ for safeguarding; closures led to declined referrals and increased exposure to harm. The National Crime Agency noted rises in online abuse due to more time spent digitally during lockdowns.

    Mental Health Crisis Unveiled

    Post-lockdown readjustment proved tough, with one participant stating: ‘Not leaving the house… and then having to try and get used to being in public again, and going to school… definitely contributed to, like, my anxiety being a lot worse.’ Mental health issues surged, including body image worries and first-time service access among secondary-aged youth.

    Inquiry counsel Clair Dobbin KC emphasised: ‘The reality is that there were children who suffered grievous harm at the hands of their carers during the pandemic. The carers of those children bear responsibility for the violence and neglect inflicted on children, and these children stand as the starkest examples of what adults are capable of doing to children behind closed doors.’

    This highlights how lockdowns removed protective layers, leading to abuse and neglect.

    In an X post from LBC, it was shared: ‘Some children suffered “grievous harm” at the hands of those who should have been caring for them in the pandemic, the UK COVID-19 Inquiry has heard.’ Such public reactions amplify the inquiry’s findings.


    Baroness Heather Hallett noted the impact was ‘severe and, for many, long-lasting,’ urging lessons for future crises. Children’s rights groups called for apologies and prioritisation of youth in decisions.

    The four-week hearings, starting 29 September 2025, probe physical health, long COVID, and high absence rates, revealing systemic oversights. Stories from parents like Aisha illustrate ongoing struggles, with her son lacking education and facing trouble post-lockdown.

    Originally published on IBTimes UK



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  • Exposure To Air Pollution During Pregnancy And Childhood Have Lasting Effects On Brain: Study

    Exposure To Air Pollution During Pregnancy And Childhood Have Lasting Effects On Brain: Study

    Long-term exposure to air pollutants is known to affect physical well-being, increasing the risk of respiratory illnesses, cardiovascular diseases, and cancers. A recent study revealed that early-life exposure to air pollution has lasting effects on the brain.

    According to the research led by the Barcelona Institute for Global Health (ISGlobal), exposure to fine particles (PM2.5) and nitrogen oxides (NOx) during pregnancy and childhood can lead to significant changes in the microstructure of the brain’s white matter. Alarmingly, these alterations can persist into adolescence, raising concerns about the long-term impact of air pollution on brain development.

    Earlier studies have explored the impact of air pollutants on the brain’s white matter, but most were limited to a single time point and did not track participants throughout childhood.

    The latest study published in Environmental Research involved 4,000 participants in Rotterdam, the Netherlands who were part of the Generation R Study and were followed up since birth. Based on the participants’ location, the team estimated the amount of exposure to 14 different air pollutants during pregnancy and childhood.

    To examine changes in white matter microstructure, researchers conducted brain scans on 1,314 children, once around the age of 10 and again around 14.

    “Following participants throughout childhood and including two neuroimaging assessments for each child would shed new light on whether the effects of air pollution on white matter persist, attenuate, or worsen,” said ISGlobal researcher Mònica Guxens in a news release.

    The results revealed that higher exposure to PM2.5 during pregnancy, as well as elevated levels of PM2.5, PM10, PM2.5-10, and NOx during childhood, led to a reduction in fractional anisotropy, a measure of how water molecules diffuse within the brain. In more mature brains, water tends to flow more in one direction, resulting in higher values for this marker. This association persisted into adolescence, indicating a long-term impact of air pollution on brain development.

    “Every increase in exposure level to air pollution corresponded to more than a 5-month delay in the development of fractional anisotropy,” the researchers wrote.

    “We think that the lower fractional anisotropy is likely the result of changes in myelin, the protective sheath that forms around the nerves, rather than in the structure or packaging of the nerve fibers,” said first author of the study, Michelle Kusters.

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