As Americans wait for a COVID-19 vaccine booster update, life expectancy has dropped over the course of the pandemic.
A Virginia Commonwealth University study released Wednesday showed the pandemic decreased life expectancy by just under two years for Americans, from 79 years to 77 years.
That is the largest drop in life expectancy since World War II.
Black people and hispanic people were affected most severely. Their life expectancies dropped twice as far as life expectancy for whites.
The study comes as COVID-19 cases in the United States continue to drop. However, hundreds of Americans are still dying of COVID-19 every day.
Young adults and black people are at the greatest risk of dying from the virus. Adults 18-26 years old are the least likely to get the vaccine, and black Americans have been disproportionately affected by the pandemic.
For those who have received a COVID-19 vaccine, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says there is no evidence a booster shot is needed anytime soon.
