The Covid-19 pandemic has turned our lives upside down over the past year. In the spring of 2020, overnight we suddenly had to stay at home. We were no longer able to meet friends, go out or go shopping. Wherever possible, we had to work and study from home. This of course also applied to young people. We examined what effect this had on young people and how they learned to deal with the new situation.

One key thing we learned was that young people adhered to coronavirus regulations with a strong sense of duty. The new situation worried them. Like many adults, they were also aware of the uncertainty that the pandemic brought with it. Generally, they were worried less about themselves than about those around them – senior citizens or people with pre-existing conditions. They did not want to infect them. Solidarity and conviction were therefore the reason why adolescents and young adults reduced their contact, stayed home, stopped seeing their friends and avoided gatherings. This had a major impact on their well-being, as this section shows.