Most new coronavirus cases are now young people. Here's why
The urge to party in our 20s is deep and true, and yet one wouldn’t think that it would overpower the urge to survive. However, recent data about America’s battle with COVID-19 and who it’s disproportionately infecting lately seems to prove otherwise. A new study shows that young people now the largest demographic getting infected with coronavirus as the summer draws to a close. I still believe the youth are our bright future, even if some of them are being extraordinarily hard-headed, as of late.
The study, which the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention dropped last week, reports that the median age of people with COVID-19 in the U.S. has steadily declined over the spring and summer. Now, Americans in their 20s account for more cases than people in any other age group. One can easily surmise what’s caused this change in demographics, considering the headlines as of late: party after party after party across America involving large groups of young people who appear to feel less vulnerable to the pandemic — followed by bad news for some or all of the revelers two weeks or less later.
But, to be fair and transparent: Much of this mayhem is not their faults — it’s the fault of colleges for prematurely swinging their doors wide open. So many people headed back to school within the past month, and now, college campuses around the country are dealing with fresh outbreaks. Merrimack College and the University of New Hampshire likely owe their outbreaks to frat parties.
The CDC’s numbers seem to support the idea that young people are becoming lax with their COVID-19 preparedness, since earlier this year in May, the median age of U.S. residents with the virus was 46. By July, the median had dropped to 37 (with a quick rise to 38 in August).
But, by June, 20-somethings had taken over the top spot, rising to 20.2% of all cases.
The findings suggest that as time goes on, older people are more likely adhering to social distancing rules and staying the course. I can guess that the unfathomable number of coronavirus deaths, which included many older people or those with pre-existing conditions, also instilled a deeper sense of fear and responsibility in this demographic.
Look, I understand the desire to want to touch someone who is not in your immediate pod — especially for people in long distance friendships and relationships. Shoot, there’s a certain somebody who lives states away that I would enjoy nothing more than to be near. And yet, there’s a deadly virus out there that I know could hurt me and my family. And it can be debilitating, even for younger people. So as much as I don’t want to, I’m staying home and watching Netflix for the time being.
