COVID affecting younger demographic
By GILLIAN SLADE on July 8, 2020.
gslade@medicinehatnews.com
There is the impression that the Albertans currently being diagnosed with COVID-19 are a younger demographic.
According to the numbers released by Alberta Health on Monday, 21 per cent are between the ages of 40 and 49 years, 20 per cent are 30-to-39 years old, 15 per cent 20-to-29 years of age and 14 per cent are the 50-to-59 year demographic.
If you look at data provided by Alberta Health on 26 April, three months ago, the numbers are only slightly different. On that day 22 per cent were in the 30-to-39 year bracket, 18 per cent 40-to-49 years, 15 per cent 50-to-59 years and 14 per cent 20-to-29 years.
Since April though the testing criteria for the province has changed and this could be influencing the numbers by demographic.
“A common source of COVID-19 transmission, particularly in young people, is socializing without practising physical distancing and attending gatherings or parties with shared food and drinks,” said Tom McMillan, assistant director communications for Alberta Health.
He says there has also been an increase recently in the number of Albertans, less than 40 years of age, getting tested.
“Alberta has the broadest testing criteria in Canada, with testing available for anyone, even those without symptoms,” said McMillan.
We are also in the middle of the province’s relaunch after the lock down. McMillan says the locations of new cases has “largely shifted from continuing care environments to indoor and community settings, such as workplaces or large gatherings”.
Even though we have seen an increase in younger Albertans testing positive, everyone is at risk of catching COVID-19, said McMillan.
“It is important that we do not shame those who test positive but rather support them to isolate and work with public health to do contact tracing and follow up,” said McMillan.
According to Alberta Health’s data this week: the average age for COVID-19 cases that did not require hospitalization is 39 years. The average age for those needing hospitalization for COVID is 62, those requiring ICU is 60 years and the average age for those who died is 83 years.
It is interesting to note that only four per cent of those more than 80 years old test positive for COVID-19.
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