CDC study finds younger adults at risk too from coronavirus
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While it was first argued that older people were more vulnerable to the coronavirus, new findings show that young people, too, are at risk.
First assumptions about the virus indicated the elderly would be more vulnerable to the virus and more likely to face serious complications, as opposed to younger people. However, a new report from the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) found that younger adults are also vulnerable to the coronavirus, contrary to what was previously thought.
Based on the first 2,449 recorded cases in the United States, the study shows that people of all ages could be greatly affected by the virus and finds that 40% of those sick enough to be hospitalized were aged 20 to 54, the New York Times reported.
“I think everyone should be paying attention to this,” told Stephen S. Morse, a professor of epidemiology at Columbia University’s Mailman School of Public Health, to the New York Times.
“It’s not just going to be the elderly. There will be people age 20 and up. They do have to be careful, even if they think that they’re young and healthy,” he added.
Similarly, earlier this week, Dr. Deborah Birx, a State Department official leading the United State’s coronavirus task force said that younger adults also need to avoid gatherings and to take steps to protect themselves.
“There are concerning reports coming out of France and Italy about some young people getting seriously ill, and very seriously ill in the ICUs,” she said.
