UPDATED: May 28, 2021 19:20 IST
The pandemic has severely affected children s wellbeing (Photo by Bandeep Singh/Model: Mrini Devnani)
Social isolation, disrupted routines and restricted access to recreational activities have turned the worlds of children upside down. Schools across the country have remained shut ever since the global Covid pandemic struck India in March 2020, causing an unprecedented disturbance in the academic calendar. It has been 14 months of virtual classes, Zoom play dates and staying indoors. That it is having a profound impact on children’s health and psychosocial well-being is hardly surprising. This March, the United Nations Children’s Emergency Fund (UNICEF) said that globally one in every seven children, or 332 million, has lived under a lockdown for at least nine months, making them vulnerable to mental health issues. Indian children are no exception.