COVID-19 Pandemic and Ageism: A Call for Humanitarian Care

The severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 is a deadly threat, and although all individuals are susceptible, advanced age is one of the risk factors for its direst consequences in those who are infected. There are precious few times when individuals can come together to make clear a common cause for advocacy and health. We, the consortium of the editors of the nation’s major geriatric and gerontology journals, offer this perspective as a way to raise awareness about ageism in association with the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, and to acknowledge the extraordinary work that healthcare providers across all disciplines, including geriatrics, are doing at the frontlines of care.