The COVID-19 Experience

There are decades where not much changes, and then there are events which can catalyze decades of change all at once. The normal operations of my life, like everyone’s, have been profoundly disrupted by the Covid-19 pandemic. But beyond this, and beyond even the incredible tragedy of the lives lost and irreparably damaged during these past few months, it is important to recognize that this moment presents opportunities to save life as well. 

We see this in our work at Lifespan.io: now more than ever, people are aware that existing systems of health care do not fulfill the promise of their name, and understand that the time has finally come to fix them. Coupled with the fact that aging is the single greatest risk factor for Covid-19, as well as almost every other disease known to humankind, this energy is creating an opportunity to engage an ever-increasing amount of the public in our work. 

Perhaps because infectious diseases are perceived as outside assaults to be dealt with, rather than a seeming inevitability like chronic diseases, the current situation is allowing us to clearly illustrate the value proposition of longevity research as the ultimate preventative healthcare. In addition to the moral good of alleviating the suffering of ill-health, a scenario where we maintain our fitness with age will bring about vast socio-economic benefits, which include that of younger immune systems significantly mitigating the effects of any pandemic. Press, policy makers, and everyday citizens alike are waking up to this potential, and seeing how the goals of our movement directly relate to current issues and struggles.

As a response to this new socio-political landscape, LEAF has accelerated plans to launch a sweeping initiative focused on clarifying the above value proposition, building broad coalitions, and catalyzing policy change. This will be centered on updating the concept of the “Longevity Dividend” and involve collaborations with the research community, press, popular social media influencers, and the public via crowdsourcing to rally around very clear policy prescriptions. 

Countless lives are at stake, which makes it incumbent on all of us to make what we can of this opportunity. Yes, we must focus on overcoming the current pandemic as quickly as possible, but we should be sure that we don’t just apply band-aids. We must take this moment to re-evaluate our priorities and build healthcare systems that will not only protect us from pandemics like this, but will make us truly healthier as a society. It’s up to all of us, and the time to act is now.

Keith Comito, President of Lifespan.io, USA