The development of a policy brief on physical activity and health in Africa for children and adolescents with disabilities: COVID-19 and beyond

Abstract

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) was declared as a global pandemic by the World Health Organization (WHO) in March 2020. To curtail the spread of the virus, governments implemented national lockdowns, restricting the movement of individuals. As the pandemic evolved and vaccine roll-out was implemented the lockdown measures were eased. However, even with the lowering of lockdown measures in South Africa, access to public places was limited: beaches, gyms and recreational facilities were inaccessible to the public. This resulted in an immediate and general reduction in physical activity and participation in sport, both social and competitive, and a subsequent increase in anxiety and depression (Taquet, Holmes & Harrison 2021).