Transmission Dynamics by Age Group in COVID-19 Hotspot Counties ...

[sl8]

https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/volumes/69/wr/mm6941e1.htm#suggestedcitation

pdf: https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/volumes/69/wr/pdfs/mm6941e1-H.pdf

Transmission Dynamics by Age Group in COVID-19 Hotspot Counties — United States, April–September 2020.

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CDC works with other federal agencies to identify counties with increasing coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) incidence (hotspots) and offers support to state, tribal, local, and territorial health departments to limit the spread of SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19 (1). Understanding whether increasing incidence in hotspot counties is predominantly occurring in specific age groups is important for identifying opportunities to prevent or reduce transmission. The percentage of positive SARS-CoV-2 reverse transcription–polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) test results (percent positivity) is an important indicator of community transmission.* CDC analyzed temporal trends in percent positivity by age group in COVID-19 hotspot counties before and after their identification as hotspots. Among 767 hotspot counties identified during June and July 2020, early increases in the percent positivity among persons aged ?24 years were followed by several weeks of increasing percent positivity in persons aged ?25 years. Addressing transmission among young adults is an urgent public health priority.

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[jmbar2]

1. The Takeaway

- Young people get exposed first
- After their cases rises, it spreads to older folks
- The older folks become much more ill and die at higher rates
- The key to reducing infection and death rates is to get the younger folks to quit getting exposed and bringing it back to the more vulnerable.

[Warpy]

2. It seems to be most prevalent in counties bordering Texas in the south/southeast part of NM

Back in May and June, it was to the north and west, especially counties with part of the Navajo Reservation.

The map of North Dakota looks like it bled to death. It's really bad there.

https://covidactnow.org/us/north_dakota-nd?s=1127254

I'm not surprised young adults are driving this, most are completely unsuited to any sort of social isolation. I just hope they live through it without severe injury.