The COVID generation: How the pandemic has shaped the lives of teens around the world

Ideas53:59The COVID Generation

The full impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on youth may not be known for years but teens’ lives are being affected around the globe.

We asked teenagers from three countries how their lives changed over the past two years. Here are their stories:

Arianna Hellman, 16, New York City, U.S.

When the pandemic hit New York in 2020, Arianna Hellman was terrified — not of catching the virus but of her family discovering her secret. Arianna had carefully masked an eating disorder which had brought her weight down to 82 pounds.

“I would look at TikTok videos where the