Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
As New Data Emerges On Hospitalization Rates, Young Americans Start To Understand They Can Get Sick Too
The New York Times: 20-Somethings Now Realizing That They Can Get Coronavirus, Too
While the common misperception has been that only the old and frail can contract the coronavirus, early testing data in the city has shown that young New Yorkers have also been vulnerable. People ranging in ages from 18 to 44 have accounted for 46 percent of positive tests, according to city data as of Monday. “Part of it is because we are testing more people as tests become more available and also because folks in this age group were out and about and weren’t necessarily engaging in social distancing like other age groups,” said Dr. Danielle Ompad, associate professor of epidemiology at N.Y.U.’s School of Global Public Health. (de Freytas-Tamura, 3/23)
CNN: What These 34-Year-Old And 26-Year-Old Coronavirus Patients Have To Say To Young Adults
They thought they were too young to be concerned about coronavirus, and then they tested positive. Valerie Wilson, 34, and Fiona Lowenstein, 26, are telling their fellow millennials that they too need to be aware of their health in the coronavirus pandemic as they recover from infection. More than 42,000 coronavirus cases have been reported in the United States, with at least 541 deaths -- and the numbers are climbing. Early testing showed that people with chronic conditions and older people were the most at risk for severe illness. But younger people are also getting sick and spreading the illness. (Holcombe, 3/24)
Los Angeles Times: 80% Of Coronavirus Patients In L.A. County Are 18 To 65
Of those who have tested positive, 80% are people ages 18 to 65, and 42% are in the 18-40 age group. “This virus can infect affect people from across the board,” said Dr. Barbara Ferrer, director of the L.A. County Public Health Department, on Monday. Those numbers are fairly in line with the statewide breakdown of COVID-19 cases as of Sunday. (Shalby, Wigglesworth and Blume, 3/23)
Detroit Free Press: Could Vaping Play A Role In Coronavirus Infections Among The Young?
Gov. Gretchen Whitmer spoke directly to young Michiganders on Monday as she announced an executive order requiring people to stay home to avoid spreading novel coronavirus. "Young people, I'm talking to you now," Whitmer said. "You're not immune from this. You can get this virus. ... You can carry this without even knowing it and be unknowingly exposing others to it. (Shamus, 3/24)
ABC News: Mom Of 7-Month-Old With Coronavirus Speaks Out: What Parents Should Know
A mom in South Carolina is sharing a message to other parents after her 7-month-old son was diagnosed with COVID-19, a respiratory illness caused by a novel coronavirus. Children do not appear to be at higher risk for COVID-19 than adults, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), but Courtney Doster, a mom of three, wants other parents to know it is possible for their children to get the virus. (Kindelan, Proto and Sivertsen, 3/23)
