The coronavirus pandemic in the US is mainly driven by young and middle-aged people, while it mostly kills older people.
Send the news: Adults 20-49 years old were responsible for the vast majority of virus transmission last year, even after schools reopened in the fall, according to a new study published in Science.
Why it matters: The US vaccination effort is keeping pace with the spread of new, more transmissible variants of the virus. Millions of Americans can still be infected before a large portion of the population is vaccinated, making transmission patterns very relevant.
- The idea that non-vulnerable people can lead their normal lives while vulnerable people isolate themselves is not yet in the US.
By the numbers: Three-quarters of the new infections developed from 20 to 49 adults until 20 August last year. Adults 35-49 contributed the most to distribution.
- In October, after a large number of American students returned to school, this age group was still responsible for it. about 72% of new infections.
- The study estimates that the reopening of schools increased the total infections from October by about 26% and the deaths by about 6%, as children and teenagers spread the virus to adults, which is ‘more effective for transmission’.
Between the lines: Young and middle-aged adults “obviously have the most contact with other adults 20 years and older, who are more susceptible” to the virus, and according to the study, they were more mobile from April.
The conclusion: “This suggests that additional interventions in adults aged 20-49, including rapid mass vaccination if it appears that the vaccination is blocking transmission, could bring the resurgent COVID-19 epidemics under control,” the authors conclude.