Millions still suffer from long COVID, facing fatigue, brain fog, and shortness of breath—without a specific treatment. COVID-19 has also increased depression and anxiety, especially in young people and healthcare workers.

The pandemic triggered an unprecedented economic crisis. In 2020, global GDP shrank by 3.5%, the worst decline since the Great Depression of the 1930s. Millions of businesses shut down, leaving billions unemployed.

But COVID-19 has changed how the world views pandemic preparedness. In 2020, the UN approved Vietnam’s initiative to designate December 27 as International Day of Epidemic Preparedness.