Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Kids, Teens Who Died Of COVID Fell In Similar Risk Patterns As Adults
AP: Coronavirus Deaths In Kids Echoes Toll In Adults, CDC Says
A detailed look at COVID-19 deaths in U.S. kids and young adults released Tuesday shows they mirror patterns seen in older patients. The report examined 121 deaths of those younger than 21, as of the end of July. Like older adults, many of them had one or more medical condition — like lung problems, including asthma, obesity, heart problems or developmental conditions. Deaths were also more common among those in certain racial and ethnic groups, according to the report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The CDC found 54 were Hispanic, 35 were Black, and 17 were white, even though overall there are far more white Americans than Black and Hispanic. (Stobbe, 9/16)
CNBC: The Coronavirus Has Killed At Least 121 Young People In The U.S., Mostly Minorities, CDC Says
The study comes days after reports surfaced alleging that Trump administration officials were interfering with the CDC’s process for publishing such studies. The researchers, which include a number of CDC personnel and officials from nearly 30 state health departments, said the study underscores the risk Covid-19 presents to young people, even though young people typically don’t become as sick as older coronavirus patients. They added that the data should be continually monitored as schools and child-care centers reopen. (Feuer, 9/15)
Stat: Covid-19 Complications Killed 121 Americans Under Age 21 Through July
There was a disproportionate burden among children and young adults with underlying health conditions and those who were Latinx, Black, or American Indian or Alaska Native. The report also found that 18- to 20-year-olds accounted for nearly half of the 121 deaths in the group during the time period studied — mid-February to the end of July — adding to the evidence that younger children generally are less likely to get seriously ill from Covid-19. Still, 10% of fatal cases occurred in children under 1 year old. (Joseph, 9/15)
NBC News: Underlying Conditions Common Among Kids And Teens Who Die Of Covid-19
Dr. Rishi Desai, a pediatric infectious disease doctor and chief medical officer at Osmosis, a medical education company, said the age distribution of the deaths wasn't surprising. People ages 18 to 20 are probably doing more risky activities, like going out to bars and parties, Desai said. "In general, their number of social contacts dramatically goes up." (Miller, 9/15)
