40% of people hospitalized for COVID-19 are younger than 55 – Do not say, ‘Nothing will happen to us young people!’

• Older adults and people with other health problems are at the greatest risk of a serious course of the novel coronavirus disease COVID-19, but new data show that young adults are also at risk of serious illness.
• In France, 50% of COVID-19 patients in intensive care are under the age of 60.
• According to the World Health Organization, approximately 14 percent of COVID-19 cases are serious and 6% are critical.

According to data from the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), of approximately 2,500 patients diagnosed with the novel coronavirus disease COVID-19, 29% were 20 to 44 years old (source 1).

In another group of 500 patients hospitalized with COVID-19, approximately 20.8% were 20-44 years old and 18% were 45-54 years old.

Approximately 12 percent of patients in intensive care units were under the age of 45. Very few of these people died.

According to CNN reports, French health official Jérôme Salomon announced that more than 50 percent of the country's COVID-19 patients in intensive care were under the age of 60 (source 2). He did not specify the age range for this group.

Young people are also at risk of COVID-19

One young adult admitted to an intensive care unit with COVID-19 is a 40-year-old emergency physician in Washington.

So far, we have mostly been seeing ‘serious’ COVID-19 cases in older people and people with weakened immune systems; however, there is a trend in some Western countries toward serious cases shifting to younger ages. A report published in The Independent on March 15 announced that, although more than 90% of deaths in Italy occurred after the age of 60, the disease had become more widespread among people in their 40s in recent days (source 3).

We now know that there is no absolute age limit for COVID-19

If young people do not have other health problems such as diabetes, kidney failure or heart failure, their chances of recovery are higher even if they contract COVID-19 and are admitted to intensive care. Nevertheless, the intensive care process is, of course, difficult.

In China, the death rate from COVID-19 was highest among people over the age of 60, reaching 14.8 percent among people aged 80 and older. A similar trend exists in Italy. However, this does not mean that there is no risk for younger age groups.

A similar situation applies to influenza (seasonal flu); in the United States, 2,450 influenza-related deaths in the 18 - 49 age group were reported last year. Meanwhile, 582 COVID-19-related deaths have occurred in the United States since March 2, when the first death due to COVID-19 occurred.

In a statement on March 24, the World Health Organization said that the United States could become the new epicenter of the coronavirus outbreak.

Social distancing is important at every age

As scientists collect more data, they gain a better understanding of the risks of COVID-19 for different ages and groups.

However, detailed analyses of patients' clinical follow-up are needed to understand why some young people develop more serious illness. As the number of cases worldwide increases and time passes, it will be easier to comment further on this issue.

One explanation for young people having a serious course of COVID-19 may be that they have undiagnosed additional health problems.

In conclusion, young adults are also at risk of contracting COVID-19, and some are at risk of experiencing this disease seriously.

Young people, take precautions such as increasing social distancing and washing your hands regularly to protect both yourselves and your elders, who are much better protected than you! Everyone should consider themselves at risk of contracting the disease. Everyone should also consider themselves at risk of contracting it asymptomatically (without any symptoms) and unknowingly. Remember: the novel coronavirus is MOST CONTAGIOUS before symptoms begin and during the first week of the illness.

Let us conclude our article with a tweet by Türkiye's Minister of Health, Dr. Fahrettin Koca, posted on March 23:

YOUNG PEOPLE THESE DAYS… You are giving those who start their sentences like this an argument to use these days :) I expect you to be extremely careful about the coronavirus. Life means movement. Fair enough. But we are switching to another mode for a while. Our freedom is at home. LIFE FITS INTO HOME.— Dr. Fahrettin Koca (@drfahrettinkoca) March 23, 2020

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