In Finland and Iceland, there was initially lower mortality rates at the start of the pandemic, which eventually led to higher mortality rates later on. Recent statistics from Eurostat show that life expectancy has returned to pre-pandemic levels in more than 18 countries in the European Union, but Finland is one of the seven countries where this has not yet occurred.
In Finland, life expectancy in 2022 was still 0.4 years shorter than in 2019. This can be attributed to the significant number of elderly deaths during the corona wave in November-December of the same year. The mortality rate for people over 70 was one-third higher during that time compared to other months of the year. However, there are signs that the mortality rate is falling to pre-pandemic levels at the beginning of this year.
In Iceland, life expectancy remained at its lowest point last year. At the beginning of the pandemic, Iceland managed to reduce the mortality rate of people over 70 significantly by implementing strict measures. The under-mortality seen in 2020 may contribute to the over-mortality observed in 2022 and 2023.
Overall, it’s clear that life expectancy has been affected differently by