At just 19, Violet Affleck—daughter of actors Jennifer Garner and Ben Affleck—used the global stage of the United Nations to press for action on clean air and long COVID. Speaking at a UN event in New York City on September 23, she urged governments to expand mask mandates, improve air filtration, and ensure free, high-quality testing to curb airborne illnesses.
Affleck’s activism stems from her own experience with a post-viral condition in 2019 and her concern over the long-term consequences of COVID-19, which continues to affect millions. She emphasized that each additional infection raises the risk of developing long COVID, now more common than asthma among young children.
She argued that purified air should be treated as a fundamental right, alongside clean water, and criticized leaders for neglecting to safeguard children from airborne threats. “Neglect of the highest order,” she warned, comes from failing to prioritize air quality and health protections.
The pandemic may feel like a thing of the past to many, but the virus hasn’t disappeared. Long COVID, a complex set of persistent symptoms, remains a growing challenge. Curious to learn more about the signs and risks? Click through to find out.