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albeit the scientific evidence of such a statement, the social marginalization and segregation of the elderly persists throughout the population (Ayalon, 2020; Colenda et al., 2020). Indeed, in some countries, the gradual relaxation of the social distancing recommendations does not seem to apply to the older adults, who are consistently advised to self-isolate (Ayalon, 2020). Moreover, there is a general belief that the safety of this group should be sacrificed for the greater good of society, particularly in detriment to the economy (Ayalon, 2020; Colenda et al., 2020). In this scenario, the aggravation of the intergenerational tension can be observed in social media content. As an illustration, the offensive hashtag #boomerremover appeared in over 4,000 posts in Twitter in a 10-day period following the pandemic declaration of WHO in March (Jimenez-Sotomayor et al., 2020). In this framework, there is a destructive increase in the mental health burden of senior citizens, which must be urgently addressed. Children Children, especially the young ones, are also in a position of vulnerability during the pandemic. This happens because, at home, they suffer with limited social connection, crucial for identity and well-being at young ages, reduced physical activity, loneliness and boredom (Fegert et al., 2020; Jiao et al., 2020; Loades et al., 2020), which may result in long-term effects. Indeed, the mental and physical health, as well as productivity in adult life, is deeply rooted in the childhood years (Loades et al., 2020; Wang G. et al., 2020). Data from previous epidemics demonstrate that children who experienced isolation measures were five times more prone to demand mental health services and more inclined to experience PTSD (Loades et al., 2020). It has also been demonstrated that children who are out of school (i.e., weekend and summer holidays) tend to have longer screen times, irregular sleep patterns and less favorable diets (Wang G. et al., 2020), which can be exceptionally harmful in longer periods of time such as the yet unknown duration of this pandemic. Furthermore, the economic recession, the restricting measures and the overall family stress may be accompanied by an increase in domestic violence and child maltreatment, situations that impact the mental health of children (Fegert et al., 2020). Adolescents with previous mental health disorders require particular attention since disruption of school routine can decline their mental health status (Khan et al., 2020). Moreover, the current events have further prompted the expansion of remote work, whereas schools and daycare centers had to interrupt their activities. In this setting, family and work environment have merged and decreased performance can be seen in both spheres, as stress intensifies (Mental health Covid-19, 2020). Following the distancing measures, social media has become an important resource to maintain social interaction. Even though its use might alleviate some of the mental health impact of the isolation, it is essential to analyze its negative impact in children and adolescents (Deslandes and Coutinho, 2020; Ni et al., 2020). First, consuming indiscriminate information about the pandemic may trigger stress, anxiety, panic and depression. This effect is even more intense in younger individuals that do not have the discernment to filter information (Deslandes and Coutinho, 2020). Second, the excessive use of the Internet might create an addiction, compromising the development of a healthier routine during the pandemic, which
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