Coronavirus: Will the young people who spread COVID-19 in themselves lead to more deaths?

Due to the exponential increase in coronavirus cases in some European countries, some officials have accused young people in their 30s and 20s of promoting the increase.

British health minister Matt Hancock said young people ignoring social isolation measures are responsible for the recent increase in incidents in the UK, and young adults have a higher incidence than others.

According to the French Public Health Service, the virus is especially prevalent among young people between the ages of 20 and 39. In Spain in late August, about 40% were of the same age group.

According to experts, this may be the reason why hospitalizations remain lower than the beginning of the March pandemic, but it also suppresses the spread of the virus and the second wave with the deaths of thousands. There are also concerns about preventing

Some young people told Euronews They do not necessarily respect the social distance between them However, be especially careful of those who are at risk of being infected with a more serious version of the virus.

Still, experts warn that spreading the virus in young adults will lead to higher cases and ultimately increased hospitalizations.

How much risk is COVID-19 for young adults?

There are young people who are “severe and can even die” with COVID-19. This highlights Dr. Richard Peabody of WHO Europe, an epidemiologist who leads a team of high-threat pathogens.

Since the beginning of March, more than 1,000 young adults between the ages of 20 and 40 have been enrolled in the ICU in France, for example, more than 5% of the total number of people receiving intensive care in the country. I will.

“In general, young people have a lower risk of hospitalization and death, but seem to have a much higher risk of persistent or chronic symptoms,” said Professor Debbie Bogart, chair of pediatric infectious diseases at the University of Edinburgh.

“The risk of prolonged COVID symptoms is temporarily unknown, but current data show that a young, healthy and active generation is inevitable.”

Of the 300,000 COVID-19s, 60,000 have been symptomatic for more than three months, according to a recent application study by a team at King’s College London, UK officials acknowledge. I did.

“Even after six months of age, many people still suffer from chronic fatigue, muscle aches, and dyspnea. Previously healthy and healthy people are almost unable to function,” the Hancock Congress said in a statement. Was. “

Euronews Several young women who said they had a recurrence of symptoms Includes tachycardia and fatigue after feeling mild or moderate COVID-19.

Young people spread the virus to others

Many experts are concerned that increasing cases, even among young adults, will increase hospitalization rates and eventually lead to death as the virus continues to spread to the population.

Spain and France have already seen an increase in hospitalizations, mainly after a few weeks of increase in case numbers among young adults.

“Especially as the general increase in community spread, especially through adolescents who have no or few symptoms, it becomes difficult to track contact, and thus new cases, which further expands. It will be suppressed, “said Professor Bogart.

“For the most effective containment, the number of communities should be as low as possible,” she added.

Young adults who associate with friends often have more contact than older people, and it is also difficult to isolate and test those who may have come into contact with positive cases.

The World Health Organization (WHO) states that it is important to involve young people in the reaction, rather than blaming them.

“Our message to young people is fun and wise. We connect with friends, but we’re at a safe distance rather than a large group, so we don’t give them the opportunity to spread the virus,” said Dr. Pebody.

Dr. Hans Scrooge, WHO Director of Europe, said the coronavirus “Tornado with a long tail” It will be passed down from young adults to the elderly. He emphasized that “no one is invincible.”

Can young people contribute to artificial immunity?

Early in the epidemic, some experts said that the spread of the virus throughout the community could lead to immunity.

But when experts talk about herd immunity, it is often through the administration of vaccines.

“It’s a dangerous path because the herd’s immune strategy is unlikely to succeed and no one knows if the herd’s immune status can be reached,” Bogart said.

“Most COVID-19 patients who have experienced mild, asymptomatic, and serious illnesses develop a degree of immune response that provides protection against reinfection. Peabody.

He also added that the only way to immunize 65-70% of the world’s population “safely” and “efficiently” with the virus is through vaccines.