The COVID-19 pandemic and the elevation of aging issues

The novel coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic exacted a profound toll on the health of populations worldwide, exacerbating socioeconomic inequities between groups broadly defined as those with and without the means to avoid exposure to the causative SARS-CoV-2 virus coupled with the timely receipt of effective vaccines and treatments once they became available. The pandemic also accelerated trends that were already underway, notably the pivot to virtual platforms for communi-cation, shopping, work, and entertainment by population groups formerly unaccustomed to using online technologies for a wide range of activities. Finally, and crucially to this special issue, it elevated aging issues on the world stage, intensifying needed focus on the pace of population aging by governments, scientists, and civil societies [1].