COVID-19âs impact on cancer care has been 'profound,' experts say, with many delaying routine screenings By Kelly Hayes Expert discusses CDC report estimating a year drop in US life expectancy Dr. Richard Wender, chair of Family Medicine and Community Health at Penn Medicine, discussed the CDC report estimating that U.S. life expectancy dropped a full year and what that means. Roughly a year into the COVID-19 pandemic, the crisis has affected nearly every facet of human life. More than 2 million people worldwide have died from the virus, including half a million Americans, and restrictions put in place to halt the virus’ spread has devastated economies.